Teachers union rejects 2 percent pay raise
Union head says both sides will be 'more at war than we were before'
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

The Pleasant Valley Education Association rejected on Friday an offer from the Pleasant Valley School District for a 2 percent increase for either pay or benefits for teachers.

The Feb.22 negotiation was the first time in two months both sides had met. Talks broke off in December when the union turned down a 3 percent salary raise and one-time bonus of $700 for either pay or benefits from the district.

"We're going to be, I guess, more at war than we were before," union President Suzann Zeigler said.

Zeigler said teachers know money will be short next year because of the state's $14-billion shortfall, but the district has the money this year because of a 4.53 percent cost-of-living adjustment the state gave out for 2007-08.

Superintendent Luis Villegas said teachers received the costofliving adjustment. Pleasant Valley gave an 8 percent raise from February to June 2007, which equals 4 percent a year thereafter.

"I'm very disappointed that (the cost-of-living adjustment) is still coming up," Villegas said.

He defended the latest offer, saying for every 1 percent the district pays teachers, it has to cut $350,000 elsewhere. The district must be pragmatic with money, especially in light of the state's budget crisis, which is likely to mean a loss of more than $2 million over the next two years, Villegas said.

"Since the previous offer, the state budget has gone into the tank . . . so everything's changed," he said.

The district and union plan to meet with a mediator on March 5.

Some people have compared Pleasant Valley with the Hueneme School District, also a kindergartenthrougheighthgrade school district, because they're similar in size.

Pleasant Valley has about 6,500 students and operates 10 schools while Hueneme has 11 schools and an enrollment of about 8,000.

Hueneme settled with its 400 teachers on Monday when trustees approved a 4 percent salary increase that runs from October 2007 to June 30.

The contract, however, did not increase teachers' benefits. Hueneme, which pays considerably more toward benefits than does Pleasant Valley, is a member of the Gold Coast Joint Benefits Trust, a healthcare benefits consortium with the buying power of some 4,200 people. Oxnard Elementary and Ventura Unified school districts, which also contribute more toward teachers' benefits than does Pleasant Valley, are also members of the trust.