State Won’t Seek Contract Ruling

The teachers union lost another round Wednesday in Orange Unified School District’s drawn-out labor skirmish--a fight that may result in a two-day strike next week.

The Orange teachers union and administrators learned Wednesday that the state Public Employment Relations Board has declined to seek a court ruling that would stop a new contract from taking effect. The union’s allegation of unfair labor practices will nevertheless be considered, board attorney Bernard McMonigle said.

Teachers object to the two-year salary and benefits package because the school board imposed it March 14 without union consent.

“We’re not surprised by the decision” of the employment board, said Bill Shanahan, executive director of the Orange teachers union.

“But we felt that it was important to make an attempt at every legal avenue available” before striking, he said.

The school board said negotiations were hopelessly stalled and it had no choice but to implement the pact.

The contract drops a previous board demand to buy out teachers’ lifetime health benefits and gives a retroactive 8% raise for the 1998-2000 school years.

The union, representing almost 1,600 teachers, counselors and media specialists, said the district walked away from contract talks too soon.

Meanwhile, the school district is planning to file a complaint of its own, alleging that a walkout planned on April 26 and 27 would be an illegal strike.

District officials are also girding for the strike by hiring a private security firm, setting up an information center for the job action and offering premium wages for substitutes--$250 a day instead of the usual $100.

The district will welcome help from parent volunteers during the strike but will not allow them to lead classes, as occurred during two teacher “sickouts” this school year. Campuses will remain open, district spokeswoman Judith Frutig said.

The last teachers strike in Orange Unified was in 1988 and lasted five days.

“The district is doing everything we can to prevent a strike and restore labor peace within Orange Unified,” Frutig said. “We invited the union to return to the bargaining table on Monday.”

The union’s Shanahan said it is not clear if negotiations will resume Monday.

Relations between the board and union have been sour for years. The sides not only disagree at the negotiating table, but they also have deeper philosophical differences.

School board members say they are trying to keep the district on a sound financial footing after overspending by previous, more liberal, trustees.

Union officials say the district could find more money for salaries and benefits if it wanted to, and some of them say the conservative board ultimately wants to dismantle public education.