CAIRO TEACHERS ARE `READY FOR LONG HAUL'

CAIRO, Ill. -- Members of the Cairo Association of Teachers say they aren't out to break the Cairo Public School District, but are prepared for "the long haul" as their teachers' strike continued Monday.

"We have a vested interest in the financial solvency of the school district," Ron Newell, association president, said at a news conference in Cairo Monday. "The district must have the money to pay its bills, including our salaries," he said.

Newell and Steve Kohn, members of the teachers' negotiation team, said the teachers' pay proposal allows the district to pay its bill with money left over.

Teachers association representatives presented a copy of the annual Cairo school board financial report, which they said shows a budgeted excess for teachers' salaries of $336,917.

"What we are requesting is less than half that much," said Kohn.

"The superintendent at Cairo School District states that our request for salary increases is ridiculous," said Newell. "Yet, she received an increase in salary of approximately $10,000 when she was promoted from assistant superintendent to superintendent in February of 1994. That increase represented a 20 percent raise."

Newell said the superintendent defended her increase by saying that she has increased responsibilities in her new position.

The teachers, who set up picket lines at the district's schools Nov. 17, are entering their eighth day of the strike that has shut the doors on 1,048 students.

"Our teachers have told us not to back off," said Newell. "They're prepared for a long haul if that is what it takes."

Newell and Kohn said, however, that teachers are ready to return to work and have submitted an agreement proposal to the board.

But Dr. Elaine Bonifield, superintendent of schools, said under that agreement proposal "6-percent-plus steps" actually amount to almost a 9 percent pay hike for teachers. The steps, which concern teacher seniority, account for an additional 2.9 percent, said Bonifield, which means a total 8.9 percent increase.

The board has offered two pay increase proposals, a straight 4 percent this year, or 10 percent over the next two years.

"Money is not the issue," said Newell. "The teachers association appears to be the only organization with the ability and the resources to challenge the management of Cairo School District. We believe the continuation of this strike is a power play."

When the association questioned the district's firing of 18 teachers last spring, "we were stonewalled," said Newell. An unfair labor practice suit was filed against the district by the association over that matter.

The association "believes that the superintendent and board of education are out to silence questions concerning the management of the district and its $6 million budget," said Newell.

"The teachers may call it a power play," said Bonifield, "but it sounds like money to me. And the board won't discuss a 9 percent increase."

Bonifield said the teachers were given a 5 percent increase last year and the board couldn't make payments.

"We don't want to make promises that we can't keep," she said. "I'm still paying off bills from last year, and we've been notified that we'll have a $50,000 shortfall in taxes this year. But the teachers are not saying anything about that."

The teachers' strike has halted extracurricular activities, including basketball. The boys and girls teams were scheduled to play in a Paducah, Ky., tournament during the Thanksgiving holidays. Those games were canceled.

The process leading to the strike started July 1, said Newell.

"This process was supposed to be settled in 60 days, by Sept. 1," he said. "The process has been repeatedly delayed by the superintendent and board team."

Newell said the board group was not prepared the first meeting, did not show up for the second meeting, and called for a delay of mediation from October to November because their paid negotiator was on vacation.

Newell said a settlement seemed possible at a negotiation session last week, but the board negotiators backed off, saying they were reluctant to make a commitment on behalf of the full board.

"That kept school closed Wednesday and forced the cancellation of the basketball teams' participation in the Thanksgiving tournament at Paducah," said Newell.

He concluded the Monday news conference by saying that the number of teachers have been reduced from 87 to 73 over the past three years and student population has not decreased proportionately.

"We do not feel that our salary request is out of order," he said.