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Group accuses E. Providence teachers of 'money grab'

12:27 PM Mon, Jan 12, 2009 |
Maria Armental    Email

EAST PROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, a government watchdog group, is urging Rhode Islanders to attend tomorrow night's East Providence School Committee meeting "to oppose the union money grab."

"It is imperative that good citizens stand up against teacher union efforts that, in this economy, will bankrupt many cities and towns and, if successful, [will] result in substantial tax increases for everyone in this state," the group's chairman, Harry L. Staley, wrote on the organization's group e-mail today.

The School Committee will meet in closed session at 6 p.m. to discuss collective bargaining with teachers, teachers aides and custodians. A public meeting will follow at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the East Providence City Hall, 145 Taunton Ave.

The School Committee has voted to scale back teachers' base salaries nearly 5 percent to their levels of more than two years ago, and to reduce longevity and advanced-degree bonuses. The teachers are also to pay 20 percent toward health-insurance premiums. Also, the district will eliminate a buyback clause that had paid teachers up to $5,100 for not taking the city's health insurance..

The teachers' union, the East Providence Education Association, is suing to stop the changes.

A Superior Court judge said he'll rule on the issue before the next pay day, Jan. 16.

The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition has also started a petition asking the judge to rule against the union.

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Comments

Rick said:

It is time to force a teacher paycut and reduction of benefits. The excessive contracts afforded the teachers in this state are crippling taxpayers in all communities. In Coventry, the time has come to issue an ultimatum...cooperate with our community leaders (Town Council) or walk out and you can be replaced. End of Story.

One of the most frustrating of the issues here is the inability of Town Councilman to "line item veto" budgets submitted by school officials.

Without this ability, school commitees simply point their fingers at the Councilman and say, "were cutting all programs because they won't give us the money", instead of reducing teaching staff, pay or benefits.

I could go on....

Link | January 13, 2009 7:45 AM
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Bruce Gempp said:

The East Providence Teachers Union will sue the city under the Carulo Act and win! This will cause the taxpayers of East Providence to suffer!!

Link | January 13, 2009 1:08 PM
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JD said:

Bruce It will be really tough for the EP Teachers Union to sue the city under the Carulo Act, nevermind winning. The Carulo Act allows the School Board to sue the town if the budget allocated is not adequate to cover expenses. It is the scool committee that is looking to cut expenses by lowering teachers salaries and forcing them to pay a portion of their health care benefits.

Link | January 13, 2009 4:31 PM
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