Teacher strike threat looms in South Shore

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William Ferchland
Bonanza News Service
December 13, 2006

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Teachers are expected to vote this week whether to use the threat of a strike if negotiations continue to drag along over pay increases.

The vote itself hasn't been made by the union representing teachers in South Lake Tahoe School District for about 30 years, according to officials.

The passage of the strike authorization with a simple majority of the union's 226 members doesn't mean one is imminent. If a mediator determines fact-finding is needed after Tuesday's negotiations, and the fact-finder delivers a recommendation or the school board accepts a pay increase unsuitable to the union, a strike could occur.

"The disrespect that's being shown to teachers at the bargaining table proves that the district is not serious about investing in its schools and students," said Steve Hayward, president of the South Tahoe Educators Association. "We don't want to strike, but this district's indifference is leaving us few other options to protect our education program for the long term."

Hayward said the strike authorization vote will take place at each school and he hopes every member participates.

"We have no other options. We don't control the budget. We don't control the purse strings," Hayward said. "We just work hard daily to educate the children of this community and this is the thanks we get."

Wendy David, president of the district's school board, which will ultimately decide what to give the union, was surprised at the announcement.

"Strikes are a big move, a pretty drastic decision I think for a union," she said.

When asked how she thinks things have gotten to this point, David said it's a matter of perception. She believes the reemergence of previously eliminated programs in the district prompts people to think the district has a lot of money in its coffers.

"We very much want to give the teachers, all employees, a fair and equitable raise and the two sides haven't come together yet on what the district can afford and what is fair and equitable," she said.

Today, teachers and their supports will gather in the parking lot of the Miller's Outpost store at the "Y" followed by another gathering in front of district offices Tuesday where negotiations with a mediator will be held.

Hayward has little confidence Tuesday's negotiations will produce a settlement while David was miffed the announcement of the vote was made before both sides sat down with a mediator.

Superintendent Jim Tarwater was also taken aback at the possible move.

"When the members don't even know the percent we're talking about, it seems premature to me to discuss that sort of work action," he said.

The two sides have been at a stalemate since March. If South Lake Tahoe teachers decide this week to authorize a strike down the road, they will join brethren in Stockton and Oakland as the only unions in the California Teacher Association's Region 2 to conduct such a vote, according to Lisa Schultz, chapter services consultant for Region 2.

Region 2 contains 390 unions.

At dispute is what portion of the Cost of Living Adjustment can the district afford to pass on to teachers. In the education realm, COLA, as it is often referred to, is awarded by the state to school districts which absorb the money in their general funds. Thus the money can be used to cover expenses, fund programs, pay for salaries or increase the size of employee paychecks.

In the last three years the state has passed on a 17 percent COLA to school districts. With negotiations covering this school year and 2005-06, Hayward said a "fair and equitable" COLA increase has a percent in the double digits.

Each percent of COLA given to employees represents $215,209 from the budget, according to the district.