Dear Editor,
Labor negotiations between the Morgan Hill Unified School District and the classified employees are at a stalemate and an unbiased third party will be brought in for resolution. No matter who wins, both groups will have suffered a blow, morale will not recover for several years and the “family” that Superintendent Alan Nishino has stated he wants us all to simulate will remain divided and disgruntled.
Five years ago the district was on the verge of bankruptcy. At that time 50 classified jobs were eliminated (one management position was eliminated). Four years ago all classified staff at the district office received a 15-day cut in their work year, thus losing 15 days of salary (management staff received no cuts but did voice their regret that classified staff at the district office had to be sacrificed!). Three years ago all classified staff received a 20-day cut in their work year, thus losing 20 days of salary (again management staff voiced their regret but received no cuts).
Last year the teachers received an increase in health benefits (along with a salary increase), which went from $3,600 to $9,000 spread over a three-year period, this equates to a total benefits increase of 67 percent (22.33 percent yearly increase in benefits alone). Classified staff received a 2 percent salary increase with no increase in benefits. This year teachers received a 5.5 percent salary increase along with the 22.33 percent increase in health benefits, and the remainder of the health benefits increase will be awarded next year. Classified staff has been offered a 3 percent salary increase and a 2 percent increase in benefits which brings the district’s combined offer to 5 percent – when MHUSD went back to the negotiating table for the last time, their offer was 4 percent salary increase and a 1 percent increase in benefits. No matter how you split it up, it totals 5 percent combined. The superintendent stated on Channel 2 news that we would be getting more than he did with his current increase. He received a 5.5 percent increase in salary alone, not including any benefits. I’m not sure how he can justify that statement, the figures just don’t add up!!
The district continues to maintain that their offer is a good one – I’d like to know by whose standards? Anything less than is offered to the rest of the district staff is not a fair offer. Classified staff is asking to be treated equally – I don’t understand why this is so difficult for management to perceive. Perhaps if the shoe were on the other foot it would become clearer!!
Joan Shuyler, Morgan Hill
