RUTLAND, Vt. – Rutland’s school board showed their lack of respect for the community’s teachers and students by unilaterally imposing working conditions for two years, making the possibility of a strike more likely.
A day after members of the Rutland Education Association voted overwhelmingly to strike beginning May 14 if a settlement isn’t reached, the board made it clear that their words of support for the city’s teachers are hollow.
“It’s clear to us that this board and their attorney have never wanted a negotiated deal that would lift our pay from near the bottom in the state,” said Sue Tanen, the union’s president. “And like everything else in this process, they didn’t even impose working conditions properly.” Under Vermont labor law, a school board cannot unilaterally impose pay and working conditions for more than one year.
News of the board’s actions came through the press just hours before the REA was prepared to sit down and bargain. The board’s attorney said that they refused to meet the union at the bargaining table.
“This morning, board members were on social media declaring their love for teachers,” Tanen said. “This afternoon, their attorney belatedly told us of the imposition and that the vote to take this hostile move was unanimous.
One of the board commissioners, Marybeth Lennox-Levins, wrote on Facebook, “We love and respect our teachers/nurses and value them incredibly, no matter what else you are hearing; I promise you.”
Tanen said those words are just that – words. “I guess that promise was broken,” she said.
A strike can still be averted if the board would actually meet with us – as we wanted today – and stop their hostility to those who teach and nurture the city’s children.
“Our hope is that they reverse course,” Tanen said. “Otherwise, we will do what we promised – begin our strike on Wednesday.”
