TEACHER CONTRACT COULD BE IMPOSED.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

PALMDALE - In a first for the Palmdale School District, teacher contract talks will advance to the fact-finding stage, which could lead to trustees unilaterally imposing a contract on teachers.

A state mediator sent the negotiations to the next stage after he met with district representatives and union officials Monday and found both sides were still far apart on health benefits.

``The main issue separating the association and the district is a proposed cap on benefits,'' said Pauline Winbush, director of certificated personnel. ``The district feels that it is consistent as to what is happening in the valley as far as having benefits being capped, as well as throughout the state.''

Union officials could not be reached Monday for comment.

In June, teachers overwhelmingly voted to reject a proposed contract that offered no raise and opened the possibility they would have to pay part of their health insurance premium in 2007-08.

The vote came seven months after negotiations between teachers and officials deadlocked.

In fact-finding, a three-member panel is formed, with one representative selected by the district, one by the teachers union, and a neutral third party appointed by the state Public Employment Relations Board, Winbush said.

The district and union each present their case to the panel, and then the neutral third party comes up with a contract proposal, Winbush said.

Both sides return to negotiations to see if an agreement can be reached, and if not, the school board can then unilaterally impose a contract, either adopting the one proposed by a neutral party or some variation of it.

Union members can strike if they are opposed to the contract that is imposed, Winbush said.

Under the proposal voted down by teachers, beginning in 2007-08, the district would have paid for health insurance coverage up to the highest rate that was offered the previous year.

Teachers wanting more coverage above that amount would have to pay out of their own pocket, choose an insurance plan that costs less, or both sides could negotiate, raising the district's maximum contribution.

The board already has set $15,550 as the maximum the district will pay annually for health insurance for nonteaching workers and management staff.

Teachers want fully paid medical insurance and have forgone raises for several years to maintain full benefits, union officials have said.

Teachers have gone the past four years without a pay hike, other than so-called ``step-and-column'' increases given for longevity and obtaining more education at the university level.

Not all teachers, however, receive step-and-column every year because in some instances they have reached a maximum salary level, district officials said.

District officials have said they can't afford to give a raise and need to set a limit on employer contributions toward teachers' health insurance.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com