Recent cuts increase pressure on unions

Budget realities are the rule of the day in Fox Valley schools.

In recent weeks, both Community Unit District 300 and Huntley Unit District 158 have continued to come to grips with the state's fiscal crisis.

District 300 this month cut compensation for three employee groups: administrators; secretaries and custodians; and nonunion staff.

The cuts are expected to save the district more than $900,000.

Also this month, District 158 froze salaries for nearly all nonunion staff.

The moves in both districts have increased pressure on unions in both districts to agree to concessions.

In District 300, that pressure has mostly fallen on the teachers union, whose membership this month roundly rejected about $2.2 million in concessions, according to union and district leaders.

Last week and the week before, union and district leaders exchanged heated words over who was to blame for the failure of negotiations.

District 300 board President Joe Stevens met with teachers union president Kolleen Hanetho last week. They both said they were able to mend fences, but it remains to be seen if that will result in a timely deal.

Hanetho says it is too late to bargain over concessions for the 2010-11 school year, but Stevens is still clinging to hope.

"My goal is to get them back to the negotiating table," Stevens said this week, while admitting, "I think what we're trying to do is a longshot."

The district's legal counsel is investigating how the union's membership might be able to vote on any agreements reached this summer, given that many teachers are out of town.

Meanwhile, over in Huntley and Algonquin, District 158 administrators are trying to reach a deal with the union that represents bus drivers, custodians and other support staff.

In an unsubtle signal to the union, the board passed a budget this month that includes no increase in compensation for support staff.

According to board Vice President Mike Skala, who is apprised of negotiations but not actually involved in the talks, the several weeks of bargaining have been successful.

The real measure of success will be the agreement that is reached and whether it is a deal responsive to persistent budget uncertainties and taxpayers who are still losing their homes and looking for jobs.