HSD and classified bargaining unit are back at the negotiation
tableThe Hollister School District officials and its classified
bargaining unit – which represents librarians, advisors and others
– are negotiating again after a fact-finding panel ruled in favor
of the proposal for employees to accept a $3,000 cutback to
individual healthcare coverage.
The two sides declared an official impasse in June, while all of
the other bargaining units at the time had accepted their own,
similar reductions for the current school year in an effort to get
the deficit-plagued district meeting minimum fiscal requirements
from the state – namely, the ability to show that its budget is
balanced with at least 3 percent in reserves.
The district in recent years had been forced by the state to
have an assigned fiscal adviser maintain the power to nix major
spending decisions, all due to a financial collapse caused by the
recession; decreased enrollment, which is rebounding some after the
district tightened up its inter-district transfer policy; and
relatively bloated staff costs.
District trustees in late 2010 approved a slew of cuts, such as
aiming to nix elementary music and middle school sports programs.
Even with those cuts, there remained $1.9 million in necessary
reductions to balance the budget.
This year’s talks with employee groups were part of the effort
to fill that gap, while the district wants the classified workers
to accept the cuts totaling $220,000 – about 1 percent of the
unrestricted budget – which includes lowering each employee’s
respective healthcare contribution cap from $13,600 to $10,600
along with a pay cut of 0.25 percent.
“What we were shooting for was equity across all groups,” said
district Superintendent Gary McIntire.
The fact-finding panel largely agreed with the district by
pronouncing that it simply does not have the necessary funds to
avoid significant cuts, while recommending in favor of the $3,000
healthcare reduction and against the 0.25 percent pay decrease.
It means the two sides are no longer at an official impasse –
during which either side could officially protest.
The classified union, though, had contended that its employees
in recent years have absorbed a more significant blow to their pay
and benefits – along with layoffs – than the other groups,
including teachers.
In its dissenting opinion provided with the fact-finding report,
the union questioned the financial forecasts from the district in
several areas. It disagreed with the district’s contention that the
budget must show a balance three years out; that it is necessary
only in the first year.
The opinion contended that the classified union had not been
credited enough for prior reductions, including $1.7 million in
decreases since 2008.
The union also disagreed with other data, such as the district’s
interpretation of information regarding comparative districts.
BY THE NUMBERS
About $23 million of the district’s $41 million budget is
considered “unrestricted,” which includes the pot of money paying
the employees. This year, the unrestricted reserves are set to drop
from about $5.3 million to around $4.3 million, while the district
has projected holding just $611,000 in reserves within three years,
according to documents provided by HSD. That unrestricted reserves
total would put the district below the required 3 percent mark.
TRIGGER SOFTENED
Superintendent Gary McIntire noted that the state’s recent
trigger cuts were not nearly as bad as expected. With average daily
attendance of about 5,300, the district had anticipated losing up
to $250 per student, or $1.325 million, along with a 50 percent cut
to transportation. Instead it will lose $13 per student, or around
$69,000, along with the transportation cut.
HSD and classified bargaining unit are back at the negotiation table
HSD and classified bargaining unit are back at the negotiation tableThe Hollister School District officials and its classified bargaining unit – which represents librarians, advisors and others – are negotiating again after a fact-finding panel ruled in favor of the proposal for employees to accept a $3,000 cutback to individual healthcare coverage.
The two sides declared an official impasse in June, while all of the other bargaining units at the time had accepted their own, similar reductions for the current school year in an effort to get the deficit-plagued district meeting minimum fiscal requirements from the state – namely, the ability to show that its budget is balanced with at least 3 percent in reserves.
The district in recent years had been forced by the state to have an assigned fiscal adviser maintain the power to nix major spending decisions, all due to a financial collapse caused by the recession; decreased enrollment, which is rebounding some after the district tightened up its inter-district transfer policy; and relatively bloated staff costs.
District trustees in late 2010 approved a slew of cuts, such as aiming to nix elementary music and middle school sports programs. Even with those cuts, there remained $1.9 million in necessary reductions to balance the budget.
This year’s talks with employee groups were part of the effort to fill that gap, while the district wants the classified workers to accept the cuts totaling $220,000 – about 1 percent of the unrestricted budget – which includes lowering each employee’s respective healthcare contribution cap from $13,600 to $10,600 along with a pay cut of 0.25 percent.
“What we were shooting for was equity across all groups,” said district Superintendent Gary McIntire.
The fact-finding panel largely agreed with the district by pronouncing that it simply does not have the necessary funds to avoid significant cuts, while recommending in favor of the $3,000 healthcare reduction and against the 0.25 percent pay decrease.
It means the two sides are no longer at an official impasse – during which either side could officially protest.
The classified union, though, had contended that its employees in recent years have absorbed a more significant blow to their pay and benefits – along with layoffs – than the other groups, including teachers.
In its dissenting opinion provided with the fact-finding report, the union questioned the financial forecasts from the district in several areas. It disagreed with the district’s contention that the budget must show a balance three years out; that it is necessary only in the first year.
The opinion contended that the classified union had not been credited enough for prior reductions, including $1.7 million in decreases since 2008.
The union also disagreed with other data, such as the district’s interpretation of information regarding comparative districts.
BY THE NUMBERS
About $23 million of the district’s $41 million budget is considered “unrestricted,” which includes the pot of money paying the employees. This year, the unrestricted reserves are set to drop from about $5.3 million to around $4.3 million, while the district has projected holding just $611,000 in reserves within three years, according to documents provided by HSD. That unrestricted reserves total would put the district below the required 3 percent mark.
TRIGGER SOFTENED
Superintendent Gary McIntire noted that the state’s recent trigger cuts were not nearly as bad as expected. With average daily attendance of about 5,300, the district had anticipated losing up to $250 per student, or $1.325 million, along with a 50 percent cut to transportation. Instead it will lose $13 per student, or around $69,000, along with the transportation cut.
