Teachers OK Pact That Includes Raise

Irvine teachers Friday announced their overwhelming approval of a contract that grants the district’s 1,050 educators their first pay increase in four years.

Irvine Unified School District teachers voted 795 to 36 this week to ratify a two-year contract guaranteeing a 3% retroactive pay increase for the current school year, with an additional 1.5% increase possible if optimistic revenue projections hold up.

The contract also promises teachers a salary increase for the 1996-97 school year, with an additional 1% contingent on district revenues.

Under the contract, beginning teacher salaries will rise to $26,937 a year from $23,372.

When negotiations began in November, teachers were asking for a 5.5% pay increase. The district was offering 2%.

Irvine Unified had $107 million in the failed county investment pool, more than any other school district.

After weathering $2.2 million in budget cuts and sizable administrative layoffs, the district can now return to rebuilding programs, school board President Mary Ellen Hadley said.

“This is another step forward for us,” Hadley said. “We’re finally being able to get back to the needs of kids instead of dismantling things.”

Steve Garretson, president of the Irvine Teachers Assn., said teachers are more optimistic about the future and are encouraged by the proposed 3.3% school funding increase recommended by Gov. Pete Wilson this week.

“People last year were worried about the very survival of the district,” Garretson said. With the improving state economy, he added “things have turned around.”