In a setting replete with consummate compassion, the School Board, convening in a special session at Lin Howe School last evening, approved layoffs for 9 members of the Classified Union while temporarily preserving 12 other Classified positions that were at stake.
In these days of arcane state government funding and multiple layoffs that often prove ghostly or illusory, saving more jobs than were eliminated can be interpreted as a slight victory for workers.
In contrast to last week’s noisy, emotional meeting before the largest crowd in the 16-year history of Council Chambers, the Lin Howe gathering was markedly smaller and far calmer because they had spent their main ammunition last week. It was like a sleepy-eyed gathering of wild-eyed partygoers at 6:30 on the Morning After.
The mood was decidedly more conciliatory for two reasons:
• Partially because the 20 parent/teacher speakers came to the meeting with that attitude and
• Partially because the four School Board members present declared repeatedly how anguishing and stomach-turning their job-cutting task was. (Steve Gourley was absent because of a family matter.)
While some Classified members rated the outcome better-than-hoped-for, Union President Debbie Hamme did not. “I am desperately disappointed about what just happened,” she said.
She was hoping to skirt all eliminations for the short term.
What Difference?
“We were led to believe that some of what we said would make a difference, but it did not,” Ms. Hamme said.
“The expectations were that we make concessions at the table, which we were prepared to do. But we were not given an opportunity to even get to the negotiating table (Thursday is the next scheduled session) to present a proposal to the Board. They decided they wanted to go ahead and vote tonight anyway. It wasn’t necessary.”
Nevertheless, Ms. Hamme said the layoffs will not alter her union’s bargaining intentions.
“There is room for negotiations,” she said. “But it is disappointing to me that I had so many conversations with so many Board members, wrote so many letters that were published in the newspapers, and all of that seems to have fallen on deaf ears.”
Ms. Hamme was not mollified by the Board decision to postpone action on a slim majority (12 to 9) of her members on the cut list. “Every single position on this cut list was so desperately close to the students,” she said “I wish the Board would have considered that. I am not even going to speak to the idea that administrators need to be cut. If there is money in the budget to keep administrators, the Board should.”
The union president also is nettled that while $650,000 was allocated last year for outside consultants and independent contractors — the traditional bane of labor unions — it increased almost 10 times this year, to $6 million.
Since the school term is in its penultimate month, Ms. Hamme wants to know how much of the $6 million remains unspent.
She said last night and again this morning that the Board’s perceived hurry-up-and-cut approach was needless “because the cuts don’t go into effect until next (school) year anyway.”
Ms. Hamme has surveyed numerous California school districts facing similar financial crises. She is mystified that none is planning personnel cutbacks for next year as furiously fast as Culver City.
Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
“I am not sure why we are so different,” she said. “It may go back to the philosophy of David El Fattal (former Assistant Superintendent/Business Services).”
In anticipation of ongoing government funding shortages, Ms. Hamme said, “David’s philosophy was, cut early, cut often. He felt the District needed to get the union concessions up front.”
School Board President Scott Zeidman said this morning that if the three bargaining units, teachers, classified and administrators, can agree this month on 9 furlough days for next year, virtually all previously announced layoffs can be rescinded.
Presently, the muscular Teachers Union is at 6 furlough days, and the next bargaining meeting is May 19.
“The more concessions that unions make, the more jobs can be saved,” Mr. Zeidman said.
When Ms. Hamme was given the number of 9 furlough days, she said, “That is his point of view, not ours.”
Gone, but for How Long?
Here are the 9 positions that were (temporarily?) eliminated, mostly by unanimous votes:
Instructional Materials Clerk, Locksmith, Maintenance Heating, Ventilation and Refrigeration Mechanic, Budget Secretary, Library Media Clerk, Secretary II (Adult School), Food Services Supervisor, Maintenance Foreman and Security Guard.
