RUTLAND, Vt. – The members of the Rutland Education Association voted today to strike on May 14 if the city’s school board doesn’t reach a fair settlement.
“Moments ago, my fellow members and I voted overwhelmingly to strike beginning on May 14,” said Sue Tanen, the union’s elected president. “After 18 months of fruitless talks with a board that seems more eager to fight, manipulate, threaten, and walk away than reach a settlement with us, we have had enough and we’re not going to take it anymore.”
If the board fails to reach a settlement with the union before the start of school Wednesday it will be Vermont’s first teachers’ strike in nearly a decade. The Burlington Education Association struck in 2017.
“We’ve been ready to settle since we began. We’ve been ready to agree to the recommendations of a neutral factfinder, despite being far less than we’ve sought,” Tanen said. “And what has the board done instead? Proffer mistake-riddled offers because creating accurate salary schedules is ‘hard,’ according to the superintendent. Authorize their attorney – who has so far charged taxpayers over $116,000 for his work representing the board – to issue threats of court injunctions and unilateral imposition of working conditions. And, sadly, walked away from Monday’s mediation session.”
According to Tanen, she and her colleagues are among the lowest paid in the state; have the least amount of sick leave in the region; and are unable to consistently collaborate for their students.
“We didn’t have to be here. And we still don’t have to take this path. We’ve set aside time tomorrow for more talks. We’ll be there,” she said. “We hope the board joins us, so we can avert a disruption of the school year.”
Tanen’s full remarks are below.
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Statement from REA President Sue Tanen
Good afternoon. I am Sue Tanen, a dedicated, long-time teacher in this district who is proud to be the president of the Rutland Education Association. Thank you for being here, on the 311th day since our contract expired. I am here today to tell you, we’ve had enough.
Moments ago, my fellow members and I voted overwhelmingly to strike beginning on May 14th.
After 18 months of fruitless talks with a board that seems more eager to fight, manipulate, threaten, and walk away than reach a settlement with us, we have had enough and we’re not going to take it anymore.
No more worst pay in the region.
No more least number of sick days in the region.
No more lack of planning.
No more on-and-off salary grids for our CTE members.
No more lack of respect from the board and their attorney.
We’ve been ready to settle since we began. We’ve been ready to agree to the recommendations of a neutral factfinder, despite being far less than we’ve sought.
And what has the board done instead? Proffer mistake-riddled “offers” because creating accurate salary schedules is “hard,” according to the superintendent. Authorize their attorney – who has so far charged taxpayers over $116,000 for his work representing the board – to issue threats of court injunctions and unilateral imposition of working conditions. And, sadly, walked away from Monday’s mediation session, still convinced that everyone but them doesn’t know what we’re doing.
We didn’t have to be here. And we still don’t have to take this path. We’ve set aside time tomorrow for more talks. We’ll be there. We hope the board joins us, so we can avert a disruption of the school year.
But we will not be cowed by the board’s increasingly hostile actions.
As educators, we say, settle.
As unionists, we say, settle.
As members of our community, we say, settle.
But if the board refuses – we say, strike.
To the board, the next move is yours. Meet us at the table and stay there until we come to a fair settlement. Otherwise, on Wednesday, you’ll see us on the picket lines.
