7/16/03 The Hancock College Board of Trustees broke away from a broad coalition of educators Tuesday night over the ability to hire outside contractors for services now performed by college employees.

The board unanimously voted not to support the repeal of Senate Bill 1419, a bill adopted only a year ago that places restrictions on a school/s ability to hire outside help. Under the current law, schools can hire contractors only for tasks that cannot be performed by the school employees or if the school can prove that hiring outside help would be more cost efficient.

Several groups, including the Community College League of California and the California School Boards Association, are supporting the repeal of the bill, saying it could save educational institutions between 10 and 40 percent by giving local schools more flexibility to hire contracted workers. The repeal of the bill is part of the Assembly Republican Caucus/ budget proposal.

Repealing the bill would directly affect classified employees, said Gordon Rivera, president of the college/s classified workers union.

The union represents 185 employees ranging from custodial staff to those who help with college enrollment.

"If SB 1419 is repealed, then the college could displace full-time classified with contract employees paid at much lower industry-level wages and with no benefits," Rivera said.

Several classified union employees showed up at Tuesday/s meeting to voice their concern for the resolution. Layoffs weren/t the only concern. James Harvey, a maintenance worker, pointed out that all college employees must pass a background check and have fingerprints taken before being hired.

"Can you count on contractors to require that of their employees?" Harvey said to the board.

He added that several classified employees have worked for Hancock for years and are loyal to the college.

Hancock College, like community colleges across the state, faces a budget deficit. Officials say they need to cut ,3.4 million out of the school/s ,39 million budget. The board passed a tentative budget last month that was more than ,2 million shy of a balanced budget.

Karen Vasquez, another classified employee, said it is unfair to look solely at classified employees for ways to make up the difference. She told the board that the classified union takes up 18 to 20 percent of the college/s budget and should come up with 18 to 20 percent of the cost savings.

"We are willing to pay our share, but not the whole share," she said.

But before other employees could share their statements, board President Carol Anders asked her fellow board members to voice their opinions.

"I/m not in favor of this resolution," said board member Richard Jacoby, to the applause of several in the crowd. "I think we/re real happy with SB 1419."

Other board members echoed Jacoby/s comments and unanimously passed a resolution not to support repealing the bill.

However, Jacoby warned the employees that the fight was not over.

"The fact that we voted to not adopt the resolution doesn/t mean it won/t pass," he said.

Jacoby urged the union to rally their peers across the state to protest the repeal.

"You people are very powerful," said board member Henry Grennan. "Where Allan Hancock College goes, the state should go."

Staff writer Tamara Miller can be reached by e-mail at tmiller@pulitzer.net