BREA : Fees Issue Divides Teachers, District

For nearly a year, teachers in the Brea-Olinda Unified School District have been without a contract. And with negotiations at a standstill, the dispute between teachers and district officials is beginning to turn nasty.

The main issue separating the Brea-Olinda Teachers Assn. (BOTA) and the school board is whether an election should be held to determine whether non-union teachers should be forced to pay fees to the association.

The fees would go toward covering the costs of employee benefits that non-association teachers currently enjoy. Board members, who would have to approve such an election, have so far refused.

Officials have said such action would be tantamount to forcing teachers to pay dues to a collective bargaining unit that they do not want to join.

“They just feel like it’s un-American to have to belong to a union as a condition of employment,” said district Supt. Edgar Z. Seal.

Association members counter that their intent is not to force people to join the union. However, they say, they believe all teachers should pay for association benefits. These include negotiating salaries and benefits, agreeing to represent teachers in disputes with their superiors and all other job-related legal matters.

The issue has become more important of late because dues are increasing rapidly and salaries in the district have not kept up with the cost of living, said John Zoeckler, former BOTA president.

Association dues for 1991-1992 were $528, and will surpass $600 during the upcoming academic year, Zoeckler said. Teachers have not had a pay increase since the 1990-91 school year due to the district’s tight budget, Zoeckler said.

“We’ve asked for an agency fee many times in the past and they said no,” Zoeckler said. “This time we are less likely to take no for an answer because there is no money on the table.”

As the argument drags on, other issues important to both sides are falling victim to the dispute. For example, BOTA members charge that the district is holding changes in leave policies hostage until they agree to drop the issue. In addition, BOTA members have asked for extended child-care leave and to change in sick-leave policy so teachers would not have to call in sick for personal reasons.

Board members offered to grant these two changes if BOTA would drop the demand for an agency fee election. BOTA turned down the offer. The two sides have not met in official negotiations since May.

While all involved parties say they would like to settle the issue amicably, the mood is getting increasingly testy.

“I would have said up until very recently that this was an issue over which people wouldn’t strike,” Zoeckler said. “But I’m not sure I could say that with confidence anymore. . . .”

The last strike by teachers in the Brea-Olinda district was in 1975. It lasted five days.