Priest in group backing teachers union
The following article appeared in the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, July 8, 2008:
Priest in group backing teachers union
A relatively new organization that lists a King’s College priest as part of its steering committee has called upon the Diocese of Scranton to allow teachers to unionize.
The Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice issued a brief statement supporting the right of the teachers of the diocese to bargain collectively with the diocese “through an independent union of their own.”
The statement calls upon the diocese to again recognize the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) and to immediately begin collective bargaining. The statement was posted on SDACT’s Web site, but was not on the Catholic Scholars site Monday afternoon.
Catholic Scholars was formed less than a year ago to promote Catholic social teaching on the rights of workers and the role unions play in securing justice for workers. It consists of about 200 scholars from colleges across the country.
In April, the Rev. Patrick Sullivan, a King’s College sociology professor, joined the group’s steering committee. Sullivan authored several books on labor issues and the Catholic Church. In February he publicized a letter he had written to diocese Bishop Joseph Martino that was critical of Martino’s statements regarding SDACT.
SDACT had represented teachers in many schools before the diocese restructured the system last year. At that time, the diocese eliminated local school boards that had negotiated with the teachers and formed four regional boards, three of which rejected requests to let SDACT represent teachers. The diocese established an employee relations program to represent school employees.
SDACT has waged a campaign to reverse that decision, shutting down some schools for a day and holding informational pickets and rallies. At a recent rally on Public Square, Catholic Scholars founder Joseph Fahey spoke in support of the union.
Union President Michael Milz said Catholic Scholars had contacted SDACT shortly after the diocese rejected unionization in January, and that the group helped draft House Bill 2626, introduced into the state House of Representatives by Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre. The bill would amend the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act to cover Catholic teachers, giving them legal rights in their efforts to unionize.
Milz said the union expects members of Catholic Scholars to testify at public hearings this August regarding the bill.
Diocese spokesman Bill Genello did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.
Priest in group backing teachers union
A relatively new organization that lists a King’s College priest as part of its steering committee has called upon the Diocese of Scranton to allow teachers to unionize.
The Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice issued a brief statement supporting the right of the teachers of the diocese to bargain collectively with the diocese “through an independent union of their own.”
The statement calls upon the diocese to again recognize the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) and to immediately begin collective bargaining. The statement was posted on SDACT’s Web site, but was not on the Catholic Scholars site Monday afternoon.
Catholic Scholars was formed less than a year ago to promote Catholic social teaching on the rights of workers and the role unions play in securing justice for workers. It consists of about 200 scholars from colleges across the country.
In April, the Rev. Patrick Sullivan, a King’s College sociology professor, joined the group’s steering committee. Sullivan authored several books on labor issues and the Catholic Church. In February he publicized a letter he had written to diocese Bishop Joseph Martino that was critical of Martino’s statements regarding SDACT.
SDACT had represented teachers in many schools before the diocese restructured the system last year. At that time, the diocese eliminated local school boards that had negotiated with the teachers and formed four regional boards, three of which rejected requests to let SDACT represent teachers. The diocese established an employee relations program to represent school employees.
SDACT has waged a campaign to reverse that decision, shutting down some schools for a day and holding informational pickets and rallies. At a recent rally on Public Square, Catholic Scholars founder Joseph Fahey spoke in support of the union.
Union President Michael Milz said Catholic Scholars had contacted SDACT shortly after the diocese rejected unionization in January, and that the group helped draft House Bill 2626, introduced into the state House of Representatives by Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre. The bill would amend the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act to cover Catholic teachers, giving them legal rights in their efforts to unionize.
Milz said the union expects members of Catholic Scholars to testify at public hearings this August regarding the bill.
Diocese spokesman Bill Genello did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.
posted by SDACT at
7:00 AM
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