ORANGE : Strike Threat Spurs School, Union Talks

Orange Unified School District administrative officials will meet with classified union representatives today in a final effort to avert a strike.

The California School Employees Assn., Chapter 67, has authorized the union to stage a sickout or a strike if a controversial school board-imposed contract cannot be renegotiated.

The union represents the district’s 1,160 non-teaching employees, including bus drivers and food service and clerical workers.

Officials would not disclose the meeting’s agenda.

But union representatives are eager to discuss the contract, which reduces health benefits, imposes furloughs and empowers the district to lay off union members without negotiations.

Board members have argued they imposed the March contract, which will save the district $484,000, to keep the cash-strapped district solvent.

The meeting today is seen as positive by union officials.

“We feel this is a good sign, but we are in a guarded mode,” said union President Becky Mayers. “We’ve done several things to show we want to handle this without a strike if possible. However, we will not back down from one if it’s necessary.”

School district officials, however, stress that the meeting does not mean they will renegotiate the contract.

“We are not renegotiating the contract, absolutely not,” said board member Bill Lewis, who discussed the prospect of a CSEA strike in closed session with six other board members Thursday night. “I think everyone’s interest is to keep the lines of communication open.”

Because the district agreed to the meeting, the union called off lunchtime protesters who have been picketing the district headquarters for nearly a month.

Although the union dropped a plea for court intervention, the union still has complaints against the district pending with the state Public Employment Relations Board.

The complaints accuse the district of bad faith bargaining during the 11 months of negotiations.

The district has denied the charges.