Talks With Teachers Union
Resume Tomorrow
Natomas school officials yesterday withdrew its impasse request following talks between legal counsel and state Public Employee Relations Board representatives.
Natomas Unified School District superintendent Bobbie Plough told THE NATOMAS BUZZ last night the state asked the district to consider withdrawing its petition for state mediation in contract talks with the teachers’ union until after the two already-scheduled negotiations take place tomorrow and Dec. 6.
“We are very hopeful we will get something in the next two negotiation sessions,” Plough said.
Teachers’ union officials said they saw the move as a minor victory, having filed opposition to the school district’s petition on grounds negotiations were ongoing and the district failed to counter their offer of a 4.86 percent pay cut for teachers and some changes to contract language.
“They need to start to bargain with us,” said Cynthia Connell, Natomas Teachers’ Association president.
The state Public Employee Relations Board had yet to make a decision on the petition when it was withdrawn by the district.
The Natomas school district seeks a 7.9 percent reduction in pay for all employee groups, including management and classified employees such as custodians and secretaries. District officials hope to bridge an $8.9 million cash-flow gap with employee concessions in an effort to avoid bankruptcy and a state take over.
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