CRAIG SHULTZ
STAFF WRITER
Nothing will be off limits the next time Ross and William Valenzuela have a discussion . Ross is president of the Hemet Unified School District Governing Board while his son, William, a teacher at West Valley High, was on the negotiating team for the Hemet Teachers Association. The sides have been at loggerheads the past 19 months over salaries and class sizes. A work stoppage was a strong possibility. But now that the union and district have an agreement, family dinners could be less tense. “I feel relieved,” Ross Valenzuela said following Tuesday’s board meeting, at which the agreement was approved in a unanimous vote. “The threat of a strike was a dark and gloomy shadow over us.” In stark contrast to the chatter surrounding the labor dispute, trustees approved the agreement with no discussion Tuesday night. There also were no public comments after a series of meetings at which supporters of the Hemet Teachers Association lined up to speak in favor of a new contract. The board voted 7-0 to approve the deal, which gives teachers an 8 percent salary increase retroactive to August and an additional 2 percent next school year. The district also will increase the amount of money it pays toward healthbenefits. The trustees used their comment time toward the end of the meeting to praise the sides for coming to an agreement, which came after 30 hours of negotiations over two days as the district and the teachers association were in fact-finding, the final formal stage of negotiations. Board members spoke of moving forward from the dissension that surrounded the talks. “I look forward to a future with trust and healing and learning for our students,” trustee Lisa DeForest said. Ross Valenzuela said the agreement is just a beginning. “We need to build bridges of communication,” he said. “And we need to do it on a regular basis, not wait until negotiations.” The district was offering a 4 percent raise retroactive to the 2013-14 school year and the boost to benefits, while the teachers were asking for 6 percent. Teachers claimed the district gathered a large reserve fund after they and school support workers agreed to take unpaid furlough days in recent years. As part of the deal, teachers will be required to work an additional 12 minutes each school day beginning next school year. Those minutes will be added to instructional time. Class sizes also will be capped, something else teachers asked for. The contract runs through June 30, 2016. CONTACT THE WRITER: [email protected] ; or 951-368-9086DMITRY SHULTZ, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Hemet school officials listen to comments at a Jan. 20 meeting. From left, Vic Scavarda, Marilyn Forst, Jim Smith, Ross Valenzuela and Superintendent Barry Kayrell. School district, teachers union agreement
Highlights of the agreement between Hemet Unified School District and Hemet Teachers Association: Term: Three years; salary and benefits talks may be reopened if the gap funding in the final state budget exceeds 32.19 percent. Hours of employment: Beginning next school year, instructional minutes and work day increase by 12 minutes. Health and welfare benefits: Increased employer contribution to $10,600 beginning July 1, 2014; for the 2014-15 school year, the $1,500 increase will be paid out in a onetime cash payment. Salary: The salary schedules will be increased by 8 percent effective July 1, 2014, for the 2014-15 school year; the salary schedule will increase by an additional 2 percent effective July 1, 2015. Class size: A waiver was added requiring reductions to site ratios of 26:1 in kindergarten through third grade; maximum student contacts set at 195 (fiveperiod day) or 235 (sixperiod day) in grades six to 12; class size adjustments must be made within 45 work days.