Ramona Teachers Vow Strike Vote in Wake of Cuts Imposed by Board

Despite pleas from parents, teachers and students, the Ramona school board Monday imposed an 8 percent pay cut this school year to keep the district “financially viable.”

In response, the teachers union president said members will “definitely be taking [a] vote” before the first week of May on whether to authorize leaders to call a strike.

“[District officials] told us if we didn’t agree [during an April 15 negotiation meeting], they would come back with something worse,” said Donna Braye-Romero, president of the Ramona Teachers Association.

The board vote was 4-0 with John Rajcic voting “present” at a meeting switched to Ramona High School to accommodate a crowd estimated at 300 people. 

Braye-Romero accused the board of making the decision before hearing anyone out.

“They didn’t listen,” Braye-Romero said. “They made their decision before they got here. They did this because they could.”

At least 15 people spoke to the board Monday night, most pleading that an agreement be made between the district and the union to prevent a potential strike.

One mother, whose daughter plays volleyball in a program run by teachers, said everyone involved has the same goal in mind, but communication has “gone awry.”

“This district is arguing that the glass is half-empty and the union is arguing that the glass is half full,” the mother said. “There needs to be better communication.”

Shelly Yerkes—who spoke on behalf of a parents coalition of students who attend Mt. Woodson Elementary, Olive Peirce Middle School and Ramona High—urged the board to reject the imposition and also urged the RTA to accept the fact-finding report negotiations.

“We seek a resolution that adheres more closely to the independent fact-finding report… We do not support the district’s imposition resolution,” Yerkes said.

After hearing pleas for negotiation from both parties, the school board took a vote to impose an 8 percent salary cut for the 2012-2013 year and 9.4 percent cuts over the next two years.

The fact-finding report, publicly released last week, suggested a 5-7 percent cut over the three years.

See More: Ramona Teachers Union Uncertain on Strike Authorization Vote

Ramona Unified School District officials said the plan their “last, best and final” offer to the union.

“We’ve taken all the steps available to us to reach a settlement with the teachers union that is both fair and financially responsible, but have been unable to reach agreement,” Graeff said in a statement.

“The board now has no choice but to implement its last, best and final offer so that we can move on in our mission to educate the children entrusted to us for their education.”

Braye-Romero said the district upped the cuts “because they could.”

Terms and conditions of the resolution OK’d by the school board “reflect a combination of reductions in teacher compensation including salary, benefits, furlough days, and a teacher investment program roughly equivalent to a 7.8 percent reduction for the average teacher in the current school year and 9.4 percent for the next two years.”

“We simply cannot maintain our current level of teacher salaries and benefits and remain financially viable,” Graeff said.

According to the district, teacher salaries and benefits comprise about 62 percent of the district’s operating budget, with the current median salary for teachers  being $78,122 a year.

Graeff said: “Teachers always have been and continue to be our top priority, but they’re not our only priority,” adding that lowered compensation for teachers is the last of several steps taken to reduce costs. 

The district has prepared for a strike and is offering substitutes $275 per day.