By SHEA JOHNSON
STAFF WRITER
Posted Feb. 24, 2015 at 5:25 PMADELANTO — While no settlement was reached during an all-day fact-finding hearing Monday between the Adelanto Elementary School District and the Adelanto District Teachers Association, the teachers union reported progress had been made in an update posted Tuesday to its website.
“We met from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” a message originally sent Monday to union members read. “We entered mediation after the presentation and even though your team worked diligently to reach an agreement for ADTA members we did not get a settlement. While progress was made there are still issues in dispute.”
It was not immediately clear Tuesday what specific issues remain, and attempts to reach officials from both sides proved unsuccessful.
But whatever progress was made could not completely bridge the divide for parties that have long been embattled in stalled bargaining talks.
The district said Monday that it had upped its “last, best and final offer” since June 2014.
“By improving its offer, the District clearly demonstrated its willingness to make every effort to settle while maintaining both District solvency and the effectiveness of programs for all students,” the district said in a statement.
The various articles being negotiated included salary, health and welfare benefits, class size, duty day, evaluations, transfers and reassignments, work year and work calendar.
One source of contention for teachers has been health and welfare benefits. Teachers have contended that a proposal to increase benefits by $1,026 annually to $10,950 is not sufficient to fully cover their medical expenses and is also below other High Desert school districts.
The union had suggested raising the cap to $11,787, while the district came back Monday offering a total benefits package of $11,350, according to a negotiations update provided by the district.
That offer included a $9,572 hard cap on health and welfare — a figure $1,422 more than the current cap, the district said — and continued full coverage of dental, vision and life insurance.
The teachers union will meet Wednesday to discuss the district’s most recent offer, they said. The fact-finding hearing Monday had been considered by the union to be the last step before a possible strike.
The fact-finding panel chairperson now has 30 days to issue a non-binding recommendation to the union and the district.
Shea Johnson may be reached at 760-955-5368 or SJohnson@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DP_Shea.
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