On Tuesday and Wednesday, an overwhelming 92.2 percent of Ventura Unified School District employees voted in favor of the tentative agreement for the 2012-2013 school year that will cut staff pay by five percent and add 10 furlough days to the school year. A total of 671 votes were cast during the 2012 Contract Ratification Election.
Foothill teachers Claire Adams, Heather Ferris, Bill Huffman, and Alice Rocca received courtesy notices last Tuesday notifying them of their potential unemployment for 2012-2013. With the high number of votes in favor of contract ratification, these teachers are guaranteed employment for the upcoming school year.
“The ‘yes’ vote meant we’ll have 10 furlough days next year… that’s five less student contact days and the teacher days would be five less days also… and no RIF [Reduction in Force] notices given,” Foothill counselor Steve Boyd said.
The district will also be waiting to see whether the results of November elections dealing with Governor Jerry Brown’s tax initiative will have an effect on current economic circumstances.
“If [the tax measures] pass within ten days of the election, the contract that we ratified says the union and the school district will get back together for re-negotiations. If it passes, we’re going to try to renegotiate some of those [furlough] days back… If the measures are defeated, then we go into survival mode,” Boyd said.
In the meantime, the district will be facing a variety of other budget cuts, involving programs such as summer school, adult education, and Gifted and Talented Education.
According to the tentative agreement, health and welfare benefits will be insured by the district until Dec. 19 of this year, but payments will be renegotiated thereafter. Additionally, should Brown’s November tax initiative obtain a majority vote at the polls, Ventura Unified may cover health and welfare benefits.
Boyd emphasized the possibility of co-payment on health insurance for 2013, attributing the 7.7 percent of “no” votes to this misunderstanding.
“[It] was a misunderstanding with our union members. The vote was [that] healthcare benefits could be renegotiated in December, so in other words, the contract we ratified agrees to what it is until the end of 2012. In 2013, things could be renegotiated, and maybe there will be a co-pay,” Boyd said.
“I thought that people understood what it really was; the ‘yes’ vote would’ve been higher and the ‘no’ vote would’ve been lower.”
Adams, who was surprised to receive a courtesy notice last week, expressed her relief upon finding out the results of the contract ratification voting.
“Mrs. Kapala was kind enough to call me at home, so I got the message, and my response was – I was really delighted and I actually was really relieved, and I didn’t quite understand just how worried I was being [sic] because as soon as I heard the message, I burst into tears,” Adams said. “But they were tears of joy.”
Huffman, who had also received a courtesy notice acknowledged the selflessness of the voters.
“I definitely was not surprised, especially after what we went through last year,” he said. “I think it’s great how the teachers here at Ventura Unified School District – they’ve got each others’ backs.”
“I just so appreciate everyone that voted to take the ten days and saving the teaching jobs…I feel lucky to work with such compassionate people,” Adams said.
