The Norwalk Board of Education has filed complaint with the State of Connecticut Board of Labor Relations alleging that Norwalk Federation of Teachers violated an agreement to keep contract negotiations between the two parties confidential.
In particular the BOE claims that by holding a rally on Monday at Brien McMahon high school and distributing fliers about the BOE's specific contract proposals the union breached a "Ground Rules for Negotiations" agreement that was entered into prior to contract negotiations.
As part of the agreement each side agreed to a news blackout. At the rally NFT President Bruce LeVine Mellion spoke to reporters.
In a press release sent by its attorneys the BOE said: "The Board of Education regrets the Union president's attempt to inflame the staff of the Norwalk School District using scare tactics and misrepresentations of the Board of Education's proposals in negotiations. The Board has no intention of similarly taking the Union's proposals out of context and holding then up for ridicule."
I've been preparing a story on the contract negotiations based on an interview I did with Mr. Mellion ealier this week.
A copy of the BOE's press release, complaint and the agreement is embedded below.
BOE Labor Complaint
Friday, September 4, 2009
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It's now open warfare between the BOE and the teachers union.
ReplyDeleteThe president of the NFT is an intelligent guy who never does anything to put himself or his bargaining unit at a competitive disadvantage. I wonder what the strategy is here, and I wonder what the risks are that he assumed when he violated the agreement. Surely he knew that the board wouldn't let this go.
ReplyDeleteI'm not taking sides here. I'm just wondering what the rest of the story is.
Go view the Yourct. blog for even more commentary - esp. explaining why this was a good move on the part of the NFT.
ReplyDeleteNothing said on yourct made much sense in explaining this. If the board had done this to the union, the union would have sued most likely. So, why did the union do this, doesn't make sense to me.
ReplyDeleteThe issue for many of us is why would the Board of Education expend precious funds to initiate this action when it will doubtful have any impact on the contract that is ultimately entered into between the parties.
ReplyDeleteAnd, why, given the assumed hourly rate being charged by the Board of Ed's attorney, would they direct him to prepare and distribute a press release about the legal action?
It just seems to me to be yet another example of the Board of Ed's completely misplaced priorities.