The New Haven Federation of Teachers (NHFT) has accused the city’s school district of anti-union activity and illegal retaliation for trying to move the union’s vice president back into the classroom. The union’s complaint centers on an agreement that NHPS and NHFT have had since 2012, which permits the teachers union to have two full-time positions ‘released’ from teaching responsibilities.
Background
The ‘release’ provision stems from a recognition that the union leaders work full-time to support teachers and school communities across the district. Even though they are not at the front of classrooms every school day, the union’s president and vice president both remain on NHPS’ payroll as educators.
According to the union’s official complaint, on April 27, Supt. Madeline Negrón proposed a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to teachers union President Leslie Blatteau. That MOU would eliminate the vice president’s full ‘release’ position — meaning that union Vice President Jenny Graves would have to return to classroom work full-time starting in August.
Union Response
The union’s complaint requests that NHPS stop retaliation and anti-union discrimination, maintain its past practice, and reimburse the union for its attorney costs related to the complaint. The union’s executive board has already begun pushing back against the proposal by refusing to sign the proposed MOU, stating that the elimination of the vice president’s release could negatively ‘impact the working conditions of NHFT members.’
Blatteau said that, when she discussed the MOU with Board of Education President OrLando Yarbrough, he indicated to her that the school board’s decision to terminate the practice of having two full release officers was partly in response to the union’s advocacy during its recent contract negotiations.
The union’s complaint alleges that NHPS is not following the School Board-Teacher Negotiation Act (TNA) (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-153a et seq.) and that the district’s proposal is retaliatory for the union’s concerted activity.
Original reporting: New Haven Independent — read the source article.
