Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

Opposing groups, like the Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, a confederation of taxpayer organizations, say the bills are a "disgrace" and give "unions full control of your tax bill."

"This obviously removes any incentive for unions to negotiate, and comes close to transferring the largest element of town budgets from town councils to the unions," according to a coalition news release. "Unions could run forever with their current contracts without town governments having any ability to modify the terms, other than by declaring bankruptcy.

"This law would set a precedent for other government unions and thereby lock town and state budgets into permanent cost of living increases, minimal health care co-pays, and the other lopsided union benefits that could no longer be negotiated because the existing contracts would remain in force forever, regardless of their nominal end dates."
If set into law, the coalition believes bankruptcy will be the "only effective method left for negotiation of union contracts" and six communities will have to take that measure.

Levesque said the intention was to help clarify the issue so a community's resources, financial and otherwise, weren't wasted.

"I believe that the proposal codifies the current understanding of the law," he said. "I do think it is wise to do, so that the community will move on to resolving the issue, and not spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on finding out that a court will rule that existing contracts do continue. Even if they are successful in destroying that principal, what would the School Committee have gained?"

Lawyer Daniel Kinder, who represents the East Providence school district, said the law on teacher contracts has been clear for about 40 years: they cannot extend for more than three years.

"Do you understand the significance of this mind blowing piece of legislation?" said Kinder. "I fumed over [the Senate's passage] over the weekend.... We have turned over the fiscal well being of every community in the state to the teachers if this becomes law. It is absolutely astonishing."