Union Busting, Rhode Island Style

[ssneade]

i'm so glad someone had the huevos to do this:...........

A Rhode Island School Board decided to fire everyone at the Central Falls High School. All teachers, personnel, principals, and administrators have been given the boot. All firings will be effective at the end of the school year.

The reason for the firings was because of a failed agreement with the teachers union. A total of 93 people will be fired. 77 of those people being fired are teachers. The rest are counselors, principals, assistant principals. The union which manages the Central Falls High School teaching staff seemed less than pleased with the dramatic move.

There is about 850 children going to Central Falls High. Half of the students are failing every subject reportedly. English is the second language for more than half the students, most of the students are Hispanic.

Teachers were willing to reform but the problem started with teachers wanting compensation for extra hours of work trying to help children. The pay rate was disputed by the board and the Central Falls Teacher Union. Teachers can reapply for a job at the school and will possibly get their job back.

who's next? throw the bums out!........

especially the government union workers.........

[US27inKS]

Being in the teachers union saved my bacon while I fought it out with a school administrator. My students were winning competitions though, not failing unless they needed to fail.

The flip side of the union is illustrated by your post. The union kept me from being fired when I called a bad administrator for what he was, but there were other teachers with elective classes and no students. Their programs lacked students because none of the kids wanted to be in their class. I'm just glad they weren't teaching a required class. Those teachers retired without teaching a single class their last few years. Just come to school and hang out for the day. If it weren't for the union they would have been fired many years earlier and replaced with someone who cares.

[scottyt]

well lets see this in numbers

median income for the area 22k
teachers income 72 to 78 k ( for 9 to 10 months of work )
teachers asked to extend the day 25 mins and spend one day a week in the cafeteria during lunch to talk to and help kids one day a week
plus a 90 min paid meeting once a week
this would total the work day of 7 hours except the planning meeting

teachers said no
i heard the teachers wanted over 4 grand extra for the longer day but i cant find a reference to it on line

more math
25 mins a day for about 180 days of school equals 4500 mins or 75 hours a year which at 4 k a year equals 53 bucks an hour

edit the teachers union was offered 30 per hour for the extra time, the unions offer was 90 per hour.
linkaroo here

[bwalker42]

Originally Posted by scottyt

well lets see this in numbers

median income for the area 22k
teachers income 72 to 78 k ( for 9 to 10 months of work )
teachers asked to extend the day 25 mins and spend one day a week in the cafeteria during lunch to talk to and help kids one day a week
plus a 90 min paid meeting once a week
this would total the work day of 7 hours except the planning meeting

teachers said no
i heard the teachers wanted over 4 grand extra for the longer day but i cant find a reference to it on line

more math
25 mins a day for about 180 days of school equals 4500 mins or 75 hours a year which at 4 k a year equals 53 bucks an hour

I think I'll apply

[ssneade]

Originally Posted by US27inKS

Being in the teachers union saved my bacon while I fought it out with a school administrator. My students were winning competitions though, not failing unless they needed to fail.

The flip side of the union is illustrated by your post. The union kept me from being fired when I called a bad administrator for what he was, but there were other teachers with elective classes and no students. Their programs lacked students because none of the kids wanted to be in their class. I'm just glad they weren't teaching a required class. Those teachers retired without teaching a single class their last few years. Just come to school and hang out for the day. If it weren't for the union they would have been fired many years earlier and replaced with someone who cares.

john, i thought you were a mechanic. look, im' not saying all union people are evil, but i believe every state should be "right to work states". closed shop unions have sucked the life out of many a company. our auto industry is suffering largely in part to the uaaaw. their power should limited........

[US27inKS]

Originally Posted by ssneade

john, i thought you were a mechanic. look, im' not saying all union people are evil, but i believe every state should be "right to work states". closed shop unions have sucked the life out of many a company. our auto industry is suffering largely in part to the uaaaw. their power should limited........

I used to teach auto tech at a vocational school for high school students. I'm not a union fan myself, but they do have their uses. Preventing management abuses was the original purpose of the unions, and that's what I used my union for. Unfortunately unions are now in a position to abuse the management, which is no better than the other way around.

[WanderingStar]

As a Civil Service Union member, and former president of a small union, I also see both sides. As president, I had to fight the administration when they tried to underpay a retiring member with 35 years of service. But I have seen my colleagues fight changes that would improve service, but limit overtime. If all public employees (especially elected) saw themselves as Public Servants first and foremost, we'd be better off. Thank goodness for the teachers and cops who love their jobs. They make it work.

[bubb2]

This school is only graduating only 48% of their students. If they tie teacher performance in to standardize test scores of the students. I would bet we would see a marked increase in those graduation rates. Teachers are being paid for not getting the job done. Intercity kids are no less smart than others, there is just less expected of them and that is how we let them down.

This was all over the news here. There was one teacher being interviewed on TV. She said she has taught at the school for 20 years and they are "starting" to see the fruits of their labors. A day late and to many dollars spent, me thinks. The NYC teachers union should be watching.

[bljones]

Originally Posted by scottyt

well lets see this in numbers

median income for the area 22k
teachers income 72 to 78 k ( for 9 to 10 months of work )
teachers asked to extend the day 25 mins and spend one day a week in the cafeteria during lunch to talk to and help kids one day a week
plus a 90 min paid meeting once a week
this would total the work day of 7 hours except the planning meeting

teachers said no
i heard the teachers wanted over 4 grand extra for the longer day but i cant find a reference to it on line

more math
25 mins a day for about 180 days of school equals 4500 mins or 75 hours a year which at 4 k a year equals 53 bucks an hour

edit the teachers union was offered 30 per hour for the extra time, the unions offer was 90 per hour.
linkaroo here

Where are you getting the "72 to 78K" figure from?

[bljones]

By the way, all of you cheering that somebody finally had the cojones to do this...

This was brought to you by the Obama administration. It is a federal initiative.

If you were never sure how to define "mixed emotions", it is the feeling you have right now.