Irvine : Teachers to Begin One-Day Strike Over Stalled Contract

Teachers from each of the Irvine Unified School District’s 25 campuses were scheduled to begin a one-day strike over stalled contract negotiations at 7:30 a.m. today and continue until after school.

The strike, which was announced last week and has been rumored for more than two weeks, is a “peaceful protest” to “show that we’re strong, we’re united, we’re solid,” said Ken Horner, president of the 750-member Irvine Teachers Assn. About 500 to 550 teachers were expected to walk picket lines this morning, he said.

District officials have hired 400 substitute teachers, at $100 per day, to keep the schools running, said district Supt. Stan Corey.

“We’re having good support from our substitutes and from substitutes in other districts,” he said. “We don’t think we’ll have a personnel shortage at all.” There is “always a possibility” that administrators will have to teach some classes, he added.

Although the union asked parents and the nearly 200 non-union teachers to join the picket lines, union officials urged that students attend school, Horner said.

“Our object is not to close down the schools,” Horner said. “Our object is not to disrupt the learning process. Our object is to send a strong statement to the board of education.”

Horner said Union officials will travel to the various schools today to distribute doughnuts and buttons that say: “I’d rather be teaching.” Also, parents will be given leaflets with the home telephone numbers of district trustees and will be urged to call and show support for the union.

In December, negotiators for the district and the union broke off contract talks. At the time, the district was offering a 3% cost-of-living increase retroactive to July 1. The current two-year contract, which expires June 30, has a clause that allows for so-called contract reopeners after one year.

The union, however, is seeking a 2% increase retroactive to July 1 and another 2% boost in the spring semester.

District officials contend the district cannot afford to meet the union’s pay request.

Other items on the negotiating table include an assurance from the district that health insurance fees will not be increased by more than 1%, formation of a teachers committee to review management of the insurance program and mandatory union membership for all teachers. Currently, 580 of the district’s 750 teachers are members of the Irvine Teachers Assn., Horner said.