Teachers union president sues bishop, diocese

The following articles appeared in the Scranton Times Tribune and Wilkes-Barre Citizens Voice on March 19, 2009:

Teachers union president sues bishop, diocese

Milz sues Bishop Martino and Holy Redeemer for wrongful termination

WILKES-BARRE — Michael Milz, president of the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, is suing Bishop Joseph F. Martino, the Diocese of Scranton and his former school, Holy Redeemer, for wrongful termination under layoffs in June 2008.

The suit was filed Wednesday afternoon, and diocesan spokesman Bill Genello said the diocese had no comment.

Mr. Milz was one of five teachers laid off from Holy Redeemer by the diocese, and he believes he was targeted because of his union affiliation. He filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, which decided not to take action because lay employees in religiously affiliated schools are not covered by the Labor Relations Act.

The teachers union has been fighting for recognition from the diocese, which Bishop Martino has repeatedly refused to grant. Mr. Milz, as president of the association, has helped lead the fight to pass a bill that would amend the Labor Relations Act to include those lay people currently left out.

Suing the bishop, diocese and school was the next step after being denied by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board and “a last resort,” Mr. Milz said.

“I believe that the facts we will present in the suit will substantiate that my lifelong career as a teacher was taken from me for illegal reasons that violate the clearly stated policy of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to protect its citizens’ rights to freely assemble and to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining,” Mr. Milz said.

According to the complaint, Mr. Milz contends that Joseph Casciano, diocesan secretary for Catholic education and superintendent of schools; Susan Dennan, system director of Holy Redeemer Regional School System and James Reddington, principal of Holy Redeemer High School, conspired as early as May 2008 to get rid of him because of his union activities.

“I was denied rights by the Diocese of Scranton that are ingrained in our state’s philosophy of government, and vindictively punished for seeking to exercise those rights,” he said.

In the complaint, Mr. Milz is asking to be reinstated and for damages, punitive damages, attorneys’ fees and costs of the suit. He estimated that he has lost $57,806, plus benefits, since being laid off.