Union Prez to CUSD: This Is the Last Year of Concessions

The nonteaching employees of the Capistrano Unified School District are tired of bearing an unfair amount of cuts compared to teachers, the president of their union told the school board Tuesday night.

“We’ve given all we can, and we’re just tapped out financially, physically and emotionally,” Ronda Walen, president of local chapter of the California School Employees Association, told trustees.

The special meeting was called just to approve a new contract with the nonteaching employees, which calls for a salary freeze and at least six forced days off, nonpaid, also known as furlough days. By comparison, this year’s teachers’ contract eliminated six of the eight furlough days the teachers took last year.

Capistrano Unified was allotted more money this school year from the state with the introduction of a new funding formula and additional money to train employees in a new national curriculum, called the Common Core.

Trustees have decided to spend the training money entirely on teachers, and Walen said that CSEA employees, which include instructional aides, should have been part of that, or at least considered.

“Some things have changed, but some things have stayed the same,” Walen said. “The term ‘fair share’ was used when you wanted something.”

She said the nonteaching employees are worried about making ends meet, and they just can’t take it anymore.

“Fair share or not, this has to be our last year of concessions,” said Walen, visibly upset.

Her comments came after a presentation by Jodee Brentlinger, assistant superintendent of personnel services, who emphasized that the two sides worked corroboratively.

The trustees approved the new contract 7-0 without comment.