Editorials and Letters to the Editor
Expensive monologue February 28, 2008
Reader sees no logic in Bishop Martino’s opposition to Catholic teachers’ union February 28, 2008
Diocese shouldn’t shun tradition of union support February 28, 2008
Bishop should allow teachers to belong to a real union February 27, 2008
Clear need for union February 27, 2008
Diocese’s resistance to union seems to have expert guidance February 26, 2008
Supports teachers February 25, 2008
Student backs teachers in union squabble with bishop February 24, 2008
Anti-union bishop upsets woman with ties to Catholic schools February 24, 2008
Closing of schools showsteachers need a union February 24, 2008
Dollars and sense February 24, 2008
On Catholic teachers union, ‘What would Jesus do?’ February 23, 2008
Catholic school teachers have been patient on having union but have not been treated fairly on issue by the bishop February 23, 2008
Teachers in Catholic schools need and deserve a union February 22, 2008
Get off one-way street February 21, 2008
Denying Union of Catholic School Teachers Goes Against Needs of Our Times: February 19, 2008 An Editorial from the Citizens' Voice by Paul Golias. Tuesday%2C%20February%2019%2C%202008.jpg
Recognize Union February 19, 2008
Worth The Effort February 19, 2008
Teacher Injustice February 17, 2008
Feeling Betrayed by Diocesan Officials January 29, 2008
Troubling Ruse January 30, 2008
Revive Good Faith, Bargain With the Union Februry 1, 2008
The Bishop's Paper Facade January 25, 2008
Scranton Diocese's Lack of Dialogue is Disturbing February 4, 2008
Let Teachers Choose January 31, 2008
Walk the Talk February 7, 2008
Diocese Actions Not Consistent With Support of Unions Februay 2, 2008
Diocese Demonstrates Its Hypocrisy With Stand Against Teachers Union February 4, 2008
Alternative to Teachers' Union is Deceptive and Illegal Februay 5, 2008
Catholic Church Used to Doing What It Wants, When It Wants February 5, 2008
Diocese Out of Sync February 3, 2008
Diocese Shouldn't Disband Union January 28, 2008
Workers Need Divine Intervention January 30, 2008
Hypocrisy in Action February 11, 2008
Diocese's Company Union Would Be a Giant Step Backward February 11, 2008
Diocese Rejection of Union Goes Against Church Teaching February 12, 2008
Diocese Should Follow Example of Christ February 12, 2008
Stand on Teachers’ Union Shakes Faith in Bishop February 18, 2008
Scholarship Supporter Upset by Diocese’s Dismantling of Union February 15, 2008
posted by SDACT at
3:37 AM
1 Comments:
February 11, 2008
To the members of the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers:
Most of you do not know me, but a few among you might still remember me as a fellow teacher at the former Bishop Hoban High School during the 1970’s, and Vice-President of the first legal bargaining union in a Scranton Diocese school, the Bishop Hoban Education Association. For some of you, the ‘70s may even predate your birth, but it was a time that laid the foundation for your bargaining unit. I’d like to share some of my experiences with the Scranton Diocese Catholic leadership during that time. I think it’s important that you know the mentality of the people with whom you are dealing in your effort to be recognized as a unified bargaining membership.
I recall the day I was hired for my teaching position. There are two things in particular that still stick in my memory. The first: I was told the starting salary was $6200 a year, with a fixed annual increase of $300. The second: I had to shave my mustache since the principal didn’t like ‘facial hair’.
The salary was barely enough to support my family of four, and the fixed annual increase did little to improve that situation. And since it was fixed, it represented a decrease in the percentage each year. The longer you stayed in the system, the further behind you fell economically. Hardly what you would call concern for teacher well being. The mustache provision was nothing short of subjugating individual rights. The Board of Pastors (the schools decision making body, including the school principal) made the rules and the teachers obeyed. If the principal or the Board didn’t like something, even personal grooming, too bad - no questions allowed.
The tone was set that day I was hired – the salary would barely support my family (I had a wife and two pre-school children) and teachers’ rights were at the discretion of the Board of Pastors. Why, then, would I accept the position? Probably for the same reasons many of you would have. I needed a job, I wanted to be a teacher, and I wanted to teach in a Catholic school. I knew that would mean making some concessions and I did not take the position blindly. I understood the conditions, and I was willing to accept them at the time, anticipating that the Board would listen to teacher concerns, and respond in the spirit of Catholic and Christian charity and justice.
But once in the system, I quickly saw a selfish, self-serving, hypocritical administration. Since the Board of Pastors wrote the contract, they felt free to bend or suspend or even ignore its conditions. We had a kind of “employer / employee council” where the employer wrote the contract and the employee was required to accept it. The teachers had no input, and there was no provision for a grievance process. Without describing the details that inspired much teacher dissatisfaction, a majority of teachers eventually reached a breaking point, and voted to bind together and form a bargaining unit to address our concerns. When presented to the Board of Pastors they flatly refused to recognize our bargaining unit. Sound familiar. But we did not give up the fight, nor should you. We stuck together in the face of intimidation, threats to our jobs and the Board’s attempt to implement its own ‘employee relationship program’. I’m sure your union president, Mike Milz, could tell stories of our struggle.
So why do I speak to you about all this? For one thing, your union president, Mike Milz, and I have remained friends since I moved out of the W-B area, and I have followed the growth and strength of your union over the years. Since the day the Diocese announced school restructuring, I’ve been following the impact on the teachers in your local papers and your SDACT web site. For me it’s déjà vous. You are facing a scenario where you have no union representation to negotiate your working conditions. You have a Diocesan leadership that wants to impose sham “employee councils” upon you. They want to turn back the clock to a time where they had unilateral control. In the 70’s, we came to realize we had to voice our concerns as a unified membership of a recognized organization. It was the only way to be treated fairly and with dignity. As you are doing now, we kept our effort vocal, above board and honest. We took a similar approach of emphasizing the churches own teachings on Christian and social justice. As you are doing, we were sometimes stern and critical, but never dishonest. We held together, stood up to the same threats you are facing. and eventually the Board was convinced of our unity and grudgingly recognized our bargaining unit.
The time is different, but your situation is the same, only on a larger scale. You must see through the dishonesty and the hypocrisy, stand strong and united, and fight to win your dignity and bargaining rights. You must hold firm.
You have a choice to make. You have a pre-existing union you can reestablish to negotiate for you. Or you can cave in to the pressures and threats of the diocese. The first will give you a freely elected representative voice in determining your working conditions. The second will result in unilaterally imposed councils that will make you dependent on a diocesan leadership that will not even observe the principals of its own church teachings. Think hard about it – if they won’t live up to their own teachings, what makes you think they will live up to any “employee council” agreements. If the Bishop ignores you now, and stays locked up in his Scranton chancellery, what makes you think he’ll come out and listen to you in these self serving “employee councils.” These councils are a sham. You won’t have the opportunity to negotiate agreements from a position of strength. They are an attempt to divide and conquer. They will turn out to be what the Diocese wants, not what you want and need. You won’t be able to negotiate salaries, benefits and working conditions; you’ll end up with whatever they dictate – it will be a take it or leave it philosophy. And what should concern you most is a “grievance procedure.” You had a fair, impartial procedure in your former contracts. If you give that up, you will be dealing with employers that do not like having their decisions questioned or discussed. The attitude of your Bishop should demonstrate this unequivocally. No matter what they offer or how they color it, an “employee council” is only as good as the Diocese wants it to be for them. It’s a sham. And be sure they will be able to change or dissolve it as they see fit.
Bottom line is their interests are not your interests. It’s a cold, hard fact, but it’s true. It’s all a matter of power and control, not compromise, and they want it back. If they get it, you will be at their mercy. Some of your local and national union leaders call it slavery. Well, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duct….. you know the rest. The Diocese has denied its own Catholic teachings and they will deny you social justice. Don’t doubt it for a moment. You must stick together, maintain your unity and fight vigorously for what is right, no matter what extremes are needed. No matter how hard the Diocese strikes back, they can never be in the right, and if you hold together you will eventually get the recognition you deserve.
I’ve noticed in many of your public communications that prayer is part of your strategy. I commend you for that. I pray each day to the Holy Spirit that the Diocese will wake up to their moral and social responsibilities and recognize your right to select those who would represent you in negotiating a contract.
By
eecummings, At
February 11, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home