A remark from Trustee Shelle Thomas was the spark that ignited
yet another board meeting blaze Monday night as members of the
Service Employees International Union (SEIU) marched out of the
meeting in anger during a Morgan Hill School Board discussion of
budget cuts.
A remark from Trustee Shelle Thomas was the spark that ignited yet another board meeting blaze Monday night as members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) marched out of the meeting in anger during a Morgan Hill School Board discussion of budget cuts.
Thomas told the classified employees, who made up the majority of the audience that, “you are not protecting yourselves enough,” and that they needed to have “more backbone” in negotiations so that their employee group is not the first one hit in the now-yearly budget cuts.
This is the third year in a row the district has had to make major cuts of its operating budget, cutting a total of $6.1 million over the past two years and now facing $1.6 million in cuts from the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.
The board still must cut another $600,000 in order to match anticipated revenue and have required reserves.
Classified employees’ positions, hours and days were cut during both of the previous rounds of cuts.
The district’s operating budget for the 2003-2004 school year is $53 million; the budget-building process for the 2004-2004 school year must be completed by the end of June.
Exclamations from classified employees in the audience were followed by some leaving as Thomas tried to explain her remarks.
Barbara Williams, an SEIU representative, stood and told Thomas her remarks were “very insulting,” that she was saying that it was the employees’ fault that they were getting cut.
Prior to her remarks, Thomas had said that the way the union worked with the district was commendable.
“I think what we have heard earlier … and heard tonight is that they (the SEIU) would like us to deliberate, to talk about the cuts, not just pass the resolution,” she said. “We’re not looking at the impact it (the resolution) has on total district programs. The elegance of it is you have been willing to work with us in this and take these cuts.”
Thomas said Wednesday she was distressed that there had been a misunderstanding of her comments. She said the classified workers have borne the bunt of the cuts over the past few years, and she respects the way they are willing to work with the district.
The community does not always realize, Thomas said, as people consider making cuts away from the classroom, the impact it would have on the classified workers.
“They hold our district together and make it possible for our teachers to do their jobs in the classroom,” she said.
As SEIU employees left the meeting, Thomas apologized and attempted to further explain her intent.
“In working together with us, in being as gracious as you’ve been … it puts you in a position to have to be the first to go,” she said.
The contract the SEIU has with the district does not specify a number of days or hours worked, as does the district contract with the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers (MHFT). The SEIU contract call for a 45-day advance notification of layoffs.
SEIU President Bev Walker said Wednesday that she was upset by Thomas’ remarks.
“I think what she said was unconscionable, that a board member would say this about any bargaining unit,” she said.
The SEIU contract allows the board to layoff classified employees for “lack of work or lack of money,” Walker said. “They have never been willing to give us any other protection.”
The discussion on classified positions arose as trustees discussed a resolution spelling out the specific cuts to positions that was negotiated between the SEIU and the district. Trustees voted 5-1, Thomas voting against, on April 5 to cut $56,000 from classified positions. The resolution Monday night was a plan to take certain hours and days from certain positions.
The resolution passed 5-1 with Trustee Amina Khemici voting against it.
The $56,000 cut was on a list of cuts proposed by the budget committee, which met for several days in early March to come up with recommendations for the board. The committee consisted of members from each of the bargaining units, SEIU, MHFT and MHELA (Morgan Hill Educational Leaders Association) and the superintendent’s cabinet.
The recommended cuts were ranked “subject to negotiation,” “optional,” “majority” and “consensus.” The classified cut was listed as a “majority” decision.
“The teachers were the only ones that voted for (the cuts),” Walker said. “What it was originally was cuts specific to the elementary clerical. The administrators, MHELA, said ‘we can’t do without our clerical,’ and voted against it … It was listed in the majority column when it was presented to the board, so we were given the opportunity to come up with alternatives … With the ninth graders going to the high schools, the middle schools could have lost people, so the clerical staffs at both schools said rather than someone losing their job, we’ll take an hour a day.”
Walker explained that the cut furlough days “were so everyone lost the same number of days.”
She also noted that Peter McKenna, maintenance supervisor for the district, voluntarily gave up 13 days of pay “because his people lost 13 days (this year).”
Walker said she wonders what’s going to happen next.
“We’re beyond bare bones at this point,” she said. “And we’re opening a new school next year that we have to maintain, for example, with no additional maintenance people … Plus we’re going to see more cuts, more cuts from the state are likely. Where’s the money going to come from? What’s the intent of the board?”
Trustee Jan Masuda said Monday that the decisions the board is forced to make are not pleasant for anyone.
“I don’t think there’s a comfortable seat in the house tonight,” she said.
She said she would like to keep several issues on the table, including board stipends of $22,000 total per year, which the board 4-2 voted not to cut during its April 5 meeting.
“I know we can’t discuss that tonight because it’s not on the agenda, but I’d like to look at it a again,” she said. “The second thing is I’d like to keep an ongoing discussion with the bargaining units, if we have money coming back to us, how will we restore these positions.”
Trustee Del Foster said he believed in the recommendations of the budget committee.
“I try to remain true to what was decided in the meetings between the three bargaining units, and this (the classified cut) is part of what came out of the those meetings under a majority. Sometimes you have to take the only options you have left.”
