Board of Education member Jack Chiaramonte says he wants people in Norwalk to know he is not happy with the school district’s unions. “They have given us nothing,” says Chiaramonte who heads the committee that negotiates contracts with them.
In recent weeks, the Norwalk Federation of Education Personnel has been outspoken in its criticism of the BOE. The NFEP, which represents 425 aides, clerks, secretarial and support staff, says it has been without a contract since July 2009 and has not received the salary increase and benefits it “deserves." Since the BOE and NEFP have been unable to come to agreement on the terms of their contracts, the two parties have entered into arbitration. In arbitration, an independent body will now decide the outcome by the end of the summer.
Chiaramonte, however, sees matters differently. He suggests the unions need to pay attention “to what is going on in this country.” “People are losing their homes. Things are still bad out there. I’ve seen my business tumble,” says Chiaramonte who owns a restaurant in South Norwalk. “Instead of everybody coming together and giving a little, we have the unions who dictate what they want.”
“We can’t afford what they want,” says Chiaramonte who disagrees with Donna Riddell, the NFEP president's characterization of the negotiation process as “demeaning and unfair.” “It's nonsense. We couldn’t come to an agreement. That is why we have gone into arbitration. That is the way to get a fair result.”
He is not singling out the NFEP, but includes the teachers and administrators union in his admonition. He says that all the unions “stand together.” “They come to us and say ‘we will not giveback until you do XYZ. Their package has strings attached.’”
The unions, including the NFEP, say they are being treated unfairly, in part, because two top administrators, Faye Ruotolo, director of Human Resources and Tony Daddona, Assistant Superintendent recently received three percent raises in the form of furlough days. Chiaramonte responds, “At least they gave us the furlough days. What did the unions give back? They gave us nothing-- a big goose egg.”
“The BOE can only afford so much. The taxpayers can only afford so much,” concludes Chiaramonte. “Otherwise, it’s the children who end up losing.”
Thursday, August 5, 2010
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And yet, he agreed to salary increases for two of the highest paid people in the board of education. Call them furloughs if you want, but these people are receiving more money for every hour and every day they put in, and then, their next salary increases will be on top of the 3% they were awarded. Evidently, this board member doesn't understand the importance of leading by example, but then the two employees in question don't understand it either because both of them negotiate for themselves.
ReplyDeleteThis Board majority has become captive to their administrators just as those in past years.
ReplyDeleteThey sepak badly of the unions (and not only Mr. Chiarmonte) but bend over for some really mediocre administrators. Methinks we'll be looking for more "change" candidates next year in the BOE election. Maybe a candidate more willing to represent the interests of the voters will defeat Mr.Chiarmonte next year.
Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more no more.
ReplyDeleteYour words underscore what a terrible steward of our school system you are. Let's contrast your attitude with that of the new schools superintendent
Thanks Moina for continuing to bring these differences to light in a balanced way.
We know that arbitration isn't cheap.
ReplyDeleteHow can angry-Jack and Jody With-a-Chip-on-Her-Shoulder Pull-a-Fast-One decide as the "Negotiation Committee" to spend OUR MONEY to send the secretaries' and aides' contract into arbitration?
Shouldn't the entire school board have voted on this?
The real FARCE is that Chiaramonte voted to give Ruotolo a great deal-- same salary as last year but with more vacation. How-the-flippin'-a is that a "give back"?
ReplyDeleteDaddona got the same deal- plus lifetime life insurance. That's another farce.
If only Kimmel would run as an unaffiliated . . . as much as I love that guy, I couldn't take a chance that electing him puts one of the Dems in as chairperson and in charge of the committees! We saw what they did to our schools when they were in power the last time.
9:24 - Assuming that your report of the lifetime life insurance for Daddona is correct, I have to ask what he has done to deserve that or to deserve the raise he received. Before anyone says he is taking furlough days, remember that he is getting the same salary for working fewer days. That is a raise.
ReplyDelete