Orange teachers vote ‘yes’ on new contract
Proposal offers bigger raises and puts off hikes for insurance costs
“Together we showed that when our members speak with one voice, we have strength and power at the bargaining table.” Wendy Doromal, president of the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association
Orange County public school teachers voted overwhelmingly Friday to approve a new contract that gives most of them $2,800 raises and pushes back higher health insurance costs until the fall.
There were 5,422 ballots cast and 4,117, or 76%, were in favor, according to the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association.
“Together we showed that when our members speak with one voice, we have strength and power at the bargaining table,” Wendy Doromal, the union’s president, said in a statement on Friday night. “You said you wanted salary increases and not bonuses, you said you wanted a one-year deal, you said you wanted more planning time, and together, we have achieved those things.”
With the contract approved, teachers will get a lump-sum of back pay — what they would have earned had the contract been in place when the school year started in August — on Dec. 24. For the nearly 85% of teachers rated “highly effective” that will mean payments of $1,128.57.
The union and school district leaders agreed to the proposal in early November, after several tense negotiating sessions and after teachers decidedly turned down an earlier proposed contract in July.
That first contract upset many teachers who were angry it offered small raises, one-time bo
nuses that wouldn’t add to their long-term financial security and steep hikes in insurance costs for those who needed family coverage.
The new package provides for bigger raises by eliminating bonuses and pushes back changes to insurance until September.
The new contract also gives teachers more planning time by specifying that only two Wednesday afternoons a month, time reserved for planning, could be taken up by school or district meetings. The other afternoons had to be free for teachers to plan on their own.
The Orange school district’s more than 14,000 teachers had until Thursday to return their mail-in ballots and vote “Yes” or “No” on the proposal. The union began verifying ballots were from employees and then hand counting them at 1 p.m. Friday, announcing the results more than eight hours later.
Both union and school leaders urged teachers to approve it, saying it was one of the best teacher deals in the state this year.
“We feel positive because it’s a great contract,” Doromal said earlier Friday.
Ahead of the vote, some teachers said they planned to vote “no” again, concerned particularly about increased insurance costs that will likely be imposed next school year.
But in the end, less than 25 percent voted against the new contract.