Challenging the Capistrano Board of Education to back up vague offers to “entertain discussion” related to bargaining, the 2,200 members of the Capistrano Unified Education Association invite the board back to the bargaining table to negotiate, based upon the following proposals:
1.The board will reverse the permanent nature of salary and benefits cuts they imposed March 31 by making them temporary;2.There will be no increase in class size;3.The board will restore salary, unpaid work days, and benefits cuts if unforeseen funds are received; 4.The board will implement already agreed to contract language that deals with working conditions, transfer of teachers, and leaves as stipulated to in the fact finding hearing.“It has never been the goal of Capistrano teachers to strike,” said CUEA President Vicki Soderberg. “We have always been willing to bargain in good faith, and we immediately accepted the neutral fact finder’s settlement recommendation. Although the CUSD school board’s unilateral imposition forced us into voting a strike authorization, we much prefer to settle our differences through bargaining.”“In recent media reports and direct communications to teachers, the CUSD Board of Education has implied that they are willing to bargain with the teachers, but the board has yet to make a formal, direct proposal to CUEA. We want our members, our students, the public, and the board to be perfectly clear that we do not want to strike and that we want to reach a negotiated settlement. We challenge the board to live up to their recent statements and accept our proposal for an agreement,” said Soderberg.CUEA has given the District until Tuesday, April 20 at 5 PM to confirm in writing that this proposal is acceptable. CUEA is ready, willing and able to return to the bargaining table, once the District confirms the proposal is accepted.
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