PORT ANGELES — School district officials and union representatives met Tuesday to hammer out a way to minimize the impact of looming staff cuts.
The talk followed Monday’s School Board decision to possibly cut 12.1 teaching, 4.5 custodial, 3.5 secretarial, 4 para-educator, 1 school administrator and 1 Central Service Building classified staff positions.
Several more negotiations will take place before a final decision on exact cuts is made.
“Nothing has been officially decided yet,” said Ed Upton, president of the Public Service Employees, which represents custodial and transportation employees.
Upton is head custodian at Fairview Elementary School and has worked for the district for 14 years.
Officials from unions representing teachers, custodians, para-educators and secretaries participated in Tuesday’s talk with school district officials.
Nervous teachers
Despite apparent efforts to minimize the effect of staff cuts needed to balance a projected $1.7 million fiscal 2002-03 budget shortfall, teachers remain nervous.
“Many of the teachers are worried and upset at the situation,” said Barry J. Burnett, president of the Port Angeles Education Association, the union that represents teachers.
“We really have no idea where the cuts could occur; I am hoping that attrition will take care of it. But they have talked about a RIF (reduction in force).”
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