KHSD trustee questions union president's pay
| Monday, Jan 26 2009 09:24 PM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:26 PM
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Kern High School District Trustee Ken Mettler wants to stop taxpayer funding for the Kern High School Teachers Association leadership position.
The position was negotiated into the current teacher’s contract ratified by the district board in 2006. Mettler was elected to the Kern High board in November 2006.
Mettler contends the teacher’s union, not taxpayers, should pay for the position.
Mitch Olsen, now in his fifth year as KHSTA president, is classified as a teacher by the district. Three periods, or 60 percent of his work day, are funded by the district; the remaining two periods are paid by the teacher’s association, he said.
This is the final year of the three-year KHSD teacher’s contract; negotiations for a new contract will begin this spring.
Mettler said he was bringing up the issue because it will be negotiated soon.
“This is the time to catch these things,” he said.
In a news release, Mettler stated that the union receives $1.6 million in annual union dues.
Olsen said he would not respond to comments by one board member; he said he would deal with the board as a whole.
“If it's a bargainable issue, I'm sure if the board and Mr. Mettler want to bring it up they will,” said Olsen.
“There is nothing unique about the full-time release of a president of an organization the size of this one,” said Jesse Aguilar, KHSTA bargaining chair and East High School art teacher.
California’s Education Employment Relations Act established collective bargaining in California's public schools in 1976 and created a framework that recognizes an “exclusive representative” for a group of public employees — in this case the KHSTA position of president.
