September 14, 2005
Contact: Sue Baker
For Immediate Release
738-2000
Calling Process Broken, Avedisian Suggests
Changes, Legislation Aimed at Ending Labor
Dispute in School Department
WARWICK - Stating that the recently-begun study of school funding and priorities to be undertaken by the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council will “put educational and municipal funding on a five year plan for budgeting,” Mayor Scott Avedisian today unveiled a series of changes that would resolve the current contract dispute and labor situation in the Warwick School Department.
“We are beginning the third year without a contract between the School Committee and the Teachers’ Union and we have no promise of any change in position by either side, and no reason to believe that resuming the non-binding arbitration process will yield any success,” he said.
“I am grateful for the efforts of School Committee members in the last week to reach out to me and the City Council to see if there is a chance of jump starting negotiations again. I hope, for the long-term sake of our community and of our educational system, that they are successful. In light of the possibility that these efforts may also fail, I think that we must realistically and honestly assess the situation and admit that the process is broken and that we must fundamentally alter the existing system,” Avedisian continued.
[Note: School committee member Bob Cushman has been attempting to get all parties back together again to assess the odds of a contract resolution.]
“Therefore, even though I cannot force the two parties to the table, I offer the following short-term and long-term action plans for the future of our city’s educational system,” Avedisian said.
Short Term
1. End the costly practice of non-binding arbitration and begin negotiations in earnest.
2. Appoint a team of five administrators (principals, assistant principals) to represent the School Committee and appoint a team of five from the Warwick Teachers Union (not those currently at the table) to meet and see if a new group of people and a fresh attitude can resolve the process. Understanding that only the union leadership and School Committee can ratify the final product, Avedisian said that “the current process seems to be more about personalities than principles.”
3. Give this new team 60 days to meet and negotiate. All information and previous discussions should be made available to the members of these teams.
4. If, at the end of the 60 days, there is no progress, both sides submit to binding arbitration.
“Late this spring, I suggested that the Labor Management program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government might be the right entity to get negotiations back on track. Neither the Superintendent nor the union was warm to this notion,” Avedisian said.
“Early this summer, I joined with the Rhode Island State Council of Churches to see if there was a possibility of convening a group of stakeholders to assist in getting negotiations back on track. While many in the community saw value to this process, opposition from the two parties also scuttled this idea.
“In light of the many suggestions that have been offered to no avail, it seems apparent to many that a new set of people needs to come to the table to see if we can reach some consensus,” Avedisian said.
Long Term
1. Submit legislation to the City Council asking for General Assembly approval to give the School Committee their own taxing authority to make its members accountable for the money that must be raised to support the schools.
2. Alternatively, should there be opposition to the item listed above, I would seek to submit to the City Council and ask for General Assembly approval to make School Committee members appointed officials. Starting with the end of members’ terms in 2010, the Mayor would appoint qualified electors of the city to serve as members, with the advice and consent of the City Council. Language will need to include the types of qualifications and requisite experience appointees would need to have.
[There is currently a Charter Review committee that is charged with looking at the Warwick City Charter and suggesting changes. Both of the above items should be considered by this group.]
3. Ask the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, of which Avedisian is president, and the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council to escalate their activities aimed at putting together a new state educational funding formula, which will set forward fair and equitable state funding levels for local aid to education.
“Obviously I am motivated to settle our current situation. Nevertheless, I am mindful of the fact that every recent contract negotiation has been a long and arduous process for the city to be in. We need to look at all possibilities so that we are not in this situation every three years,” he said.
In calling the system “broken” Avedisian said that he has reviewed the past five and a half years of his actions aimed at mediating between the two constantly warring parties. “Every three years negotiations between the Warwick Teachers Union and the Warwick School Committee break down. This type of unstable relationship cannot possibly continue if we are to build on the many successful projects that are happening in this city,” Avedisian said.
“There is more than enough blame to be passed around – to the union, to the School Committee, to the school administration, to me, and to the City Council. Passing blame is getting us nowhere quickly.”
“We are eroding public confidence in the School Committee, the School Department, the Warwick Teachers Union and the City of Warwick in general. I may not have all of the answers, but I know that we must renew the commitment to try,” he concluded.
- To illustrate the long and arduous process that has taken place, a time line of actions that have been taken or options that have been suggested has been created. CLICK HERE