Making Sure We Can Afford Classified Employees’ Demands
Dear Editor,
Those of you in the community who regularly read this newspaper may be wondering why the school district does not grant the increase that the classified employees’ union has requested. What’s preventing me, as a school board member, from endorsing the increase? I don’t have the same pressure as in my regular job where I have to consider making a profit, or worry about the share price of my company. So, why not?
When I was elected to the school board two years ago, the district and community were consumed by controversy. There were terrible cost overruns in construction; projects were left unfinished; and the community insisted that FCMAT, the state agency that oversees school finances, audit aspects of the district’s finances. The two key issues in that election were district fiscal responsibility and lagging student achievement. This demand for fiscal responsibility was repeated in June, when the community rejected Measure E. As a board member, I represent the community and need to remember the message that was sent when I was elected. Therefore I have to both consider a fair offer to the employees, and provide the fiscal discipline that the community has called for.
Most of the discussion appearing in the paper has focused only on salary. However, as a board member, I have to consider the total cost of an offer – the salary increase, plus the cost of benefits, the hours worked, the pension payments, etc. In 2006, annual salary increases across the business world averaged 3.5 percent and many pension plans were eliminated. We are fortunate that our discussion began at a much better point. In the current negotiations, we have already offered our classified employees an 8 percent increase in total compensation over the next two years plus an additional cost of living increase to be negotiated next year. This offer is larger than that given to any other group in the district this year, and the offer is a good one.
I also have to consider that raises build on previous raises and they don’t go away. I need to ensure that we can afford any raise this year and for foreseeable future. Our state economy swings wildly and school funding swings from barely adequate one year to no increase in another. The school board needs to ensure that we can pay for all raises without going into deficit spending in future, leaner years.
We care for and respect all our employees; they are key to our goal of providing a quality education and a great learning environment for our kids. However, as tempting as it might be to grant the requested increase, it would not meet the community’s demand for fiscal discipline. While the classified employees’ union and I obviously disagree on how much of an increase is affordable to the district, the offer that we have made is a good one. Negotiations are proceeding according to the collective bargaining process. Hopefully as we engage a mediator, we will soon find a settlement.
Peter Mandel, Board of Education president
Morgan Hill Unified School District
