Bargaining Update  10/27/2011
10:00 at the VTA Office

VTA                                                VUSD

Deb Morton                                    Myrna Vallely
Valerie Holseth                              Steve Hargrave
Rosemary Smithfield                     Vivianne Firestone
Tod Critchlow                                Donna Caperton
Sue Martin                                     Mike Marcos
Ron Ferreirae                                Rodney Goldberg
Georgine Tomasi                            Peter Fagan

VTA arrived at 10:00
VUSD arrived at 10:00
Articles to Review 12, 13, 17, 18, 20, 26

Discussion:
VTA and VUSD agreed that the 2010/2011 unaudited actuals that were presented by VTA were accurate.  These showed that compared to neighboring districts VUSD has the lowest percent in expenditures for certificated salaries. 
VTA and VUSD were unable to agree upon comparisons between neighboring districts and benefit costs at this time.
VTA and VUSD agreed that current contract language on class size is not why VUSD salaries are low.

Article 12 – Salary: VTA proposes a 1% retro to July 2011 with another 1% in 2012.  With a 2% increase to the salary schedule in January 2012 if the K-12 Budget triggers do not go into effect.

Article 13 – Benefits: VTA proposes that VUSD will contribute a dollar amount equal to the cost of the Kaiser Family Rate.

Article 18 – Teacher Duty Hours: VTA proposes a limit of 18 hours per teacher per year.

Article 20 – Class Sizes:  VTA proposes that due to current budget surpluses current contract is adequate and re-presented a request for limits on secondary music classes unless aides are provided.

Article 20 – Class Sizes: VTA previous Special Education offer is still on the table.

Article 12 – Salary: VUSD proposes a 1% salary increase contingent on increasing class sizes.
        VUSD PROPOSAL – District averages in elementary grades with class caps of:
                Grades 1-3 = 24.94 students
                Grades 4-5 = 34 students


                Middle School and High School class size proposal from VUSD:
                Grades 6-8 = 38 students
                Grades 9-12 = 40 students (45 for singletons – waivers possible)
                PE average of 48 cap of 58

Article 13 – Benefits: VUSD proposes that members should be allowed to opt out and the District will retain all monies not spent on member benefits in general fund.

VTA Caucus at 10:30 Return at 11:17

Article 17 – Calendar: VUSD proposes 175 days versus VTA Current Contract

Article 26 – VTA agrees to accept previous proposal from VUSD.

Three more days scheduled in January
        District Office: Jan 23, 10am to 3pm
        VTA Office: Jan 26, 10am to 3pm
        District Office: Jan 30, 10am to 3pm

Adjourned at 11:52

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

September 22, 2011
1:00 at the VTA Office

Basically the District wants to eliminate all class size language except 20.1.1 which is only for District wide average and school wide averages.   Again the District is interested in class size and not interested in what is best for instruction and our students.

Attendance:
VTA                                                              VUSD
Deb Morton                                                  Myrna Vallely (Chair)
Valerie Holseth                                            Steve Hargrave
Rosemary Smithfield                                    Vivian Firestone
Tod Critchlow                                               Donna Caperton
Sue Martin                                                    Mike Marcos (not present)
Ron Ferreirae (Chair)                                   Rodney Goldberg (not present)
Georgine Tomasi  (not present)                   Peter Fagan

VTA arrived at 1:00
VUSD arrived at 1:07

Open Articles
12 – Salaries
13 – Benefits

VUSD 
17 Work Year
20 Class Size
VTA
18 Duty Hours
26 Evaluation Procedures

VUSD Proposals
12 and 20 – link elimination of class size caps and provide a 1 time 1% bonus, not on-going.

VUSD  Summary
13 – Current contract
18 – Current Contract
26 – District Proposal (9/22)
12 & 20 – District Proposal (9/22)
17 – District Proposal (9/6)

VTA – Ending General Fund Balance Report (42.9 million)

VUSD – Ending Balance isn’t a complete picture

VTA – Change in Fund Balance Report (Undesignated fund continues to rise, year after year)

VTA – Caucus at 1:35

VTA – return at 2:20
VTA Counter Proposals to VUSD
12 – Salary increase
13 – VUSD Contribution will be increased for health benefits
20 – 20.1.1 and 20.1.2 Current Contract/ Class size
20 – 20.1.3 and 20.1.2 as proposed in June 17, 2011


VUSD Caucus 2:25
VUSD Returns 2:45

VUSD  will take VTA proposal to VUSD Board

Next Meeting, Oct 4, 2011 – 1:00 to 4:00 pm, VUSD Board Room


____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9.6.2011

At today's negotiations session, the VUSD team again asked for more furlough days and the elimination of class size maximums for individual classes and teachers. After the session, VTA learned that last year, the district's general fund balance GREW by $7.9 million. In the past 4 years of "difficult economic times" the fund balance has grown from $26.9 million to $42.8 million, an increase of over 59%. We hope that our trustees will stop listening to our district officials consistently inaccurate projections and begin to put the money they have to work to help improve the education that our students are receiving.

We meet again on September 22.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5.25.2011  
4:00PM District Office
Attendance:
VTA:  Deb Morton, Valerie Holseth, Rosemary Smithfield, Bill Schrempf, Tod Critchlow, Sue Matin, Ron Ferier, Barb Franklyn,
Georgine Tomasi
VUSD: Myrna Vallely, Steve Hargrave, Vivianne Firestone, Donna Caperton, Mike Marcos, Rodney Goldberg, Peter Fagan,
Notes:
VTA arrived at 3:55
VUSD arrived at 4:05
VTA – Opening/ Proposals to District: Articles
18(Teacher Duty Hours)
16(Evaluation Procedures)
20 (Class Size)
26 (Evaluation Procedures)
12 (Salaries)
13(Unit Member Benefits)
VUSD - Opening
12 (Salaries)
VUSD – Summary of County Office of Ed Recommendations – Use budgets as if Govs budget not approved
VUSD – Opening
13 (Unit Member Benefits)
20 (Class Size)
VUSD ASKED FOR CAUCUS AT 4:30
All Returned at 4:52
VTA – asked for VUSD responses?
VUSD – Responded about article 17.
VUSD – asked for VTA responses
VTA – responded to article 13 and article 12.
VTA – Presented Ending Balance History – past three years projected ending balance approximately 50% of actual ending balance.
VUSD – There were a couple years where large lump sums were received.
VTA – Presented an article from the districts websites that states the district wants to protect class sizes, especially in the elementary grades and, in middle and high school core academic areas.
VUSD – Asked for a counter to their article 20.
VTA – asked for a counter to their article 20.
VUSD – stated that their counter for article 17 was also to include article 12.
Next meeting scheduled for 6/17/2011 at 9:30 AM
Meeting adjourned at 5:25