The West Contra Costa teachers union accused the district's superintendent of bargaining in public this week after he sent a letter to teachers suggesting that a cut equivalent to five days' work would help preserve benefits.

"He's making proposals to our members in the letter — that's illegal," said Pixie Hayward Schickele, president of the United Teachers of Richmond, which last month voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike.

The letter from Superintendent Bruce Harter, dated Sept. 18, landed in most teachers' home mailboxes Tuesday. He wrote that the district has been able to trim its budget by cutting other employees' benefits and implementing furloughs. He suggests that with the cuts equivalent to five days, "we could provide benefits at the same level we've done for two other unions — $4,800 for single employees, $9,060 for employees with one dependent and $11,700 for employees with families."

The letter "was appropriate, and it is factual. We did talk about this," district spokesman Marin Trujillo said Wednesday.

He pointed to the union's latest bargaining update, which stated that the two sides discussed furloughs at the Sept. 15 bargaining session: "Simply put, (the district's) idea is that teachers will lose up to five days pay, but would be expected to deliver the same number of instructional minutes for the school year. Specifically, an idea is to change minimum days to full days," according to the

Hayward Schickele said the union has not received a written proposal from the district akin to what Harter suggested in his letter.

"I don't believe what was on the (bargaining) table and what was in the letter was the same, unless I'm misunderstanding what they brought to the table," Hayward Schickele said.

Harter, in his letter, mainly intended to convey that the district wants to return to negotiations with a mediator and avoid a strike, Trujillo said.

United Teachers of Richmond's executive board was scheduled to meet Wednesday, and representatives from each school will confer this weekend to decide how to move forward.

The union plans to file an unfair labor practice charge because of the letter, its third against the district, Hayward Schickele said. The other two charges are related to changes in class sizes and the district's second "last, best and final offer," sent to the union days before a fact-finding process was to begin.

On Tuesday, Harter and Hayward Schickele both spoke at the El Cerrito Democratic Club meeting while several teachers picketed outside. Both touched on the contract dispute and the district's financial troubles, with several teachers in the audience directing pointed questions and comments at Harter.

Reach Shelly Meron at 510-243-3578. Follow her on Twitter @shellymeron.