Marysville teachers unhappy with bargaining agreement

Marysville teachers aren't completely sold on a new bargaining agreement with Marysville Joint Unified School District that includes their first pay raises in more than six years.

Teachers, pending ratification by their union, would receive a 2 percent salary increase and a $100 per month medical benefit cap, equal to the 3.8 percent salary increase also approved Tuesday for the district's principals and child development professionals.

Approval of the tentative agreement came after Inge Schlussler, vice president of the Marysville Unified Teachers Association, accused administrators of misleading the union during negotiations.

"I was really hoping after two years of the bargaining process that at this point I would be standing before you saying I was so happy with how things went," Schlussler said. "However, the process has some deep concerns for the MUTA leadership."

Trustee Frank Crawford said he was shocked the union wasn't ecstatic with the deal to which the union's bargaining team agreed.

"I thought MUTA was coming to thank us," he said.

Schlussler raised an issue about retirement incentives for new teachers, which she said were being given up in order to receive a higher medical cap.

The union chose to split its 3.8 percent raise between a salary increase and a higher medical benefit cap because health insurance is so high, Schlussler said.

"We are helping our younger teachers more with this deal," she said.

Included in the teacher's deal is a one-time 1.64 percent bonus, which was taken away from teachers during tougher financial times. Other employee groups have already received their 1.64 percent reimbursement, Schlussler said.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mark Allgire said he was pleased the board approved raises for the three groups, but noted state funding is still not guaranteed for the agreements.

Funding for the salary increases would partially rely on Gov. Jerry Brown's state budget proposal, which hasn't yet been passed by the Legislature.

Marysville school board members denied raise

While teachers, principals and child development professionals were approved for tentative pay increases on Tuesday, the Marysville school board, on a 4-3 vote, rejected giving increases to the top three district administrators.

Superintendent Gay Todd, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Mark Allgire and Assistant Superintendent of Personnel Services Ramiro Carreon were denied raises.

Trustee Frank Crawford said he made his decision to block the administrator's raises because the board had already approved a pay increase for them last year.

"I thought we were very fair with them a few months ago and adjusted it accordingly," he said.

Also opposing the raises were Philip Miller, Jim Flurry and Anthony Dannible.

Todd and Carreon did not return phone calls asking for comment. Allgire declined to comment.

— Griffin Rogers

CONTACT Griffin Rogers at grogers@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4783. Find him on Facebook at /ADgriffinrogers or on Twitter at @ADgriffinrogers.