October 01, 2004

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Classifieds

Palo Alto Online

Classified workers feel shortchanged

by Alexandria Rocha

Franz Vereyken, a maintenance man of 15 years for the local school district, works two jobs to make ends meet.

His wife has picked up a side job, as well. They have four small children.

Vereyken learned earlier this week he will not receive a raise from the school district for the second year in a row. Though he won't have to pay out-of-pocket for his health plan, his family's co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions increased from $5 to $10 and $15.

"It's an issue," he said.

Vereyken and 430 other classified employees -- a group that includes bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitors and teaching aides -- ratified a contract with the local school district this week that includes a better health plan, but no raise.

It was hard to swallow for the classified staff, considering the group felt they supported the district earlier this year by agreeing to work two days for free. The matter became more heated when classified staff learned teachers, who fought the two-day furlough, would get a raise if the district receives more funds in property taxes than currently budgeted.

Chuck McDonnell, president of the local chapter for classified staff, said the district did not want to denied place the same contingency in the classified contract.

"The board didn't want to go there," McDonnell said. "It made us feel disillusioned. We thought we had a good working relationship and we were doing everything we could to save the district."

However, because of a "me too" clause in the classified employees' contract, they will be eligible for the same possible pay raise as teachers.

That isn't good enough for Vereyken, who voted against the zero-pay increase contract. Vereyken said the classified employees should simply have the same contingency in their contract, and not have to rely on the "me too" clause.

"The language should be so strong that it simply spells out for both sides what will occur," he said.

Board members said the contingency wasn't included in the classified employee's contract because of timing. The board was overwhelmingly apologetic to the classified employees about the matter at this week's board meeting.

"There was no intention on the part of this district or this board to slight the (classified employees') leadership or the (classified employee) membership," said member John Barton."

Board member Camille Townsend added, "While one group may feel that we were being less respectful, that's not my case or anyone else's here."

In what seemed like one fell swoop, the Palo Alto Unified School District this week also approved its contract with the teachers' union. Aside from the possible raise tied to property tax income, the teachers' contract doesn't guarantee any salary adjustment.

The health benefits cap per employee, however, did increase from $6,665 per year to $8,207, but that came with rises in other fees.

The school district is facing a budget deficit of $6.5 million, and programs and personnel have been cut back to make do. However, the 1 percent increase in property taxes predicted this summer has recently jumped to about 5 percent, which will bring in an additional $3 million than expected..

With such undetermined revenue, it was a bit surprising the school district was able to open and close negotiations so quickly and in the same month - especially after starting 2004 on shaky ground with its employees.

In January, the district asked teachers and classified staff to help trim a hefty budget deficit by working two days without pay. The teachers said no, and declined to negotiate on the matter.

The classified staff took a few months to discuss the idea, and then supported the proposal whole heartedly with more than 90 percent of members willing to work two days for free.

The furlough agreement was recently rescinded, and employees who had already taken their two days will be repaid on their next paycheck, McDonnell said.

In May, the board honored the district's classified employees by designating Classified School Employees Week. The resolution that came along with the designation read, in part, "classified school employees are rarely in the spotlight but always seem central to the activities of our schools."

"The superintendent refers to all of us as a family, well some of the family isn't doing too well," McDonnell said at a board meeting earlier this month.

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