Alameda teachers protest lack of contract progress No one agrees on how much is involved in health care

By John Geluardi, CORRESPONDENT - March 11, 2004

ALAMEDA -- About 200 teachers who have been without a union contract for nearly nine months demonstrated outside a school board meeting Tuesday to protest what union leaders called bad faith negotiations on the part of the district.

The teachers, many wearing red union T-shirts, held candles and waved placards with such slogans as "Stop stalling, negotiate"; "Affordable health care, now"; and "schools don't happen without teachers."

Just how much money is on the negotiating table depends on who you ask. Union representatives say they are asking for about $1.6 million in health care and salary increases. A school board member said they are asking for $3.5 million. And according to the school district's Web site, teachers want an increase of more than $5 million.

Whatever the figure, negotiations are not going well, according to the teachers' union. Alameda Teachers Association President Glenda McDowell said the teachers have become frustrated with unproductive meetings and poorly prepared district representatives.

"We have been negotiating for seven months and have only been able to agree on two articles out of 28," McDowell said. "The district's negotiators are stalling by coming to meetings claiming they are unprepared and don't have the authority to negotiate. It's time the school board knows about it."

McDowell said there are two key sticking points. One is affordable health care and the other is "unencumbered preparation time," which would allow teachers more discretionary time to prepare lesson plans.

McDowell said in the last 16 years, the district has only increased its contribution to individual teacher health insurance premiums by $40, while teachers have increased their personal contributions by $400.

The district's chief negotiator, David Nied, an attorney for the San Francisco law firm Chapman, Popik & White, said health care was an issue, although he was unfamiliar with the disputed dollar amounts.

"I'm uncertain about the figures, but health care is important," he said. "The district wants to provided the teachers with a good health care plan. But the district also has to mind its pennies."

School board member Michael McMahon said the district is strapped for money and it will be hard to meet teacher demands.

"We're just trying to buy time like every other school district when it comes to the school's budget," he said. "The situation is ugly statewide."

PTA Council President David Forbes said he is sympathetic with the teachers but finding additional money for health care would be tough.

"Teachers are overworked and underpaid," he said. "If there were money in the pot, it would just be a matter of agreeing on how much to put toward health care and how much to put toward salary increases. But I don't see any money in the pot."

McDowell said whatever the differences, meetings between the district and the union need to improve. "They're simply not treating us with respect," she said.

See my clarification on my quote.

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Last modified: March 11, 2004

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