Alhambra : Union Backs Salary Cuts

Most non-teaching employees in the Alhambra school districts would rather take a pay cut than endure staff reductions that will cost more than 70 colleagues their jobs, union representatives told the school board Tuesday.

In a union-conducted, secret ballot completed this week, about 71% of voting non-teaching employees said they would surrender one to two days of pay per month. Voter turnout was higher than 80%, the union officials said.

The union also suggested that administrators who can teach should work as classroom substitutes one to two days a month and that non-teaching administrators should accept pay cuts.

Supt. Bruce Peppin said the district would consider any proposal, but that layoffs, scheduled to begin Friday, would not be postponed. The school board approved staff cuts last month to help erase a $2-million deficit in its $100-million budget.