Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wisconsin is not the only place in the United States seeing clashes between government and public employee unions. Facing a 12% budget shortfall, the school board of Providence, Rhode Island, voted 4-3 this week to send out termination notices to all of the city’s 1,926 public school teachers.
The decision raised such an uproar that newly-elected Democratic Mayor Angel Taveras announced the next day that the “overwhelming majority” of teachers would not lose their jobs. But many teachers were still upset because school officials elected to terminate rather than lay off its instructors, a move that could wipe out seniority for many.
The Providence school board, with an annual budget of $315 million and a possible deficit of $40 million, is planning to close 40 schools.
The school board made its decision now instead of waiting until next school year because state law requires teachers to be notified of possible layoffs or terminations by March 1.
Referring to the controversial labor dispute taking place in Wisconsin, Providence Teachers Union President Steve Smith called the move “a back-door Wisconsin” and an “an attack on collective bargaining.” Teachers Union members expressed concern that the word “termination” on their records would hurt their chances of being rehired elsewhere.
-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
Board Votes to Dismiss All Providence Teachers / Video (by Linda Borg, Providence Journal)
Mayor Tries to Reassure Providence Teachers as Furor Grows Over Firing Notices (by Abby Goodnough, New York Times)
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