Teachers call threat of sickout rumor

By John Howell
Posted 10/27/16

Schools could be closed today. That was the warning issued yesterday afternoon to parents on the Connect-Ed system by Superintendent Philip Thornton in response to reports that the Warwick Teachers Union had planned a sick-out." Warwick"

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Teachers call threat of sickout rumor

Posted

Schools could be closed today.

That was the warning issued yesterday afternoon to parents on the Connect-Ed system by Superintendent Philip Thornton in response to reports that the Warwick Teachers Union had planned a “sick-out.”

Warwick Teachers Union President Darlene Netcoh debunked any effort of a union coordinated sickout.

“It’s a rumor. I’ve never pressured anyone to do anything …there’s no coordinated action,” she said in a telephone call. “He’s [Thornton] the one spreading rumors and causing trouble.”

Netcoh would not say whether union leadership had discussed a sick-out.

“I’m not going to discuss union business,” she said.

In an interview Wednesday, Thornton was hopeful teachers won’t stage a sick-out but said administrators would be carefully monitoring teacher attendance this morning and would close schools if absenteeism was such that the district couldn’t staff schools. He couldn’t say whether this would be a system-wide closure or just certain schools.

“We can’t do anything until something occurs,” he said.

He said the matter would be treated like a weather-related closing with the decision based on numbers of teachers reporting sick rather than the threat or actual amount of falling snow.

The first indication of widespread sickouts would come at the secondary level, where schools open first. Conceivably, secondary schools could be closed if there were insufficient teachers and elementary schools could stay open, although Thornton said that may raise issues with busing.

The superintendent said he learned of the possibility of a sick-out Tuesday following meetings at several schools.

In the notice issued to parents yesterday before 2 p.m., Thornton said, “We have received several credible reports that the Warwick Teachers Union is pressuring its membership to ‘call in’ sick tomorrow, Thursday, October 27th in an attempt to disrupt schooling as a way of protesting the state of teacher contract negotiations.”

Within minutes of being issued, the statement provoked a flurry of comments on social media, from criticism of Thornton for not closing the schools so parents could plan accordingly to outrage directed at the teachers, as well as support for teachers.

“I support Warwick school teachers,” writes Shawana Scotti on the Community of Warwick Facebook page. “They do need a contract…I hope they do call in sick tomorrow. Get well soon.”

“Any other job where you just don’t show up you can get fired, no call-no job,” was another comment.

Nathan Cornell, who declared as a candidate for school committee and lost in the September primary, claimed in a post that the union has no intention of pressing teachers to call out sick. He charged the call to parents is an effort to divert attention from the school administration’s unpopular recommendation that was followed by the committee to consolidate elementary schools.

Warwick teachers have been without a contract since August 2015. Despite negotiations followed by arbitration and mediation, the parties have not reached an agreement. Mediation was broken off earlier this month when the union rejected a three-year “take it or leave it” offer that would have given them 3 percent raises in each of the three years but stripped out language on classroom weighting and co-op teaching, altered the current 90-day sick leave benefit, and lifted the prior limitation of 20 layoffs annually. Citing fears over class sizes and loss of individualized instruction with the loss of weighing that restricts class sized based on the number of special needs students, the union countered with an offer calling for higher wage increases and restoration of the language.

School Committee Chair Beth Furtado saw no reason to continue mediation at that point, and mediator Vincent Ragosta in an email to the parties said he would step back in but at this point the sides were too set in their positions. He recommended the parties continue with arbitration that started about nine months ago. It has taken that long for schools to present their issues, and the union has yet to present its side.

Does Thornton see talks as having reached an impasse?

“I’m always optimistic we can work through a contract,” he said. The arbitration scheduled for Tuesday was canceled at the union’s request, he said.

Netcoh charged the committee with “not negotiating in good faith,” adding that arbitration won’t result in a contract because arbitration is not binding on monetary issues and most issues come down to money. She said the union remains willing to meet.

“I’m hopeful the other side comes to its senses,” she said.

In the advisory to parents, Thornton acknowledges reports of a sick-out could be “merely a rumor,” and if that is substantiated they would receive an email. If schools have to be closed because of a lack of teachers, Thornton said parents would receive a call through the department messaging system as well as an email.

Teacher absenteeism has been running high, with 66 of the system’s 882 teachers calling in sick Tuesday and 67 yesterday. Under the department’s system, teachers calling in sick are required to produce a doctor’s note after three days as well as for days preceding a holiday. If teachers fail to produce a note on the fourth consecutive day of being out sick, they lose that day of pay.

According to Katherine Duncanson, school personnel director, the department “shares” about 160 substitute teachers with other school districts. Starting pay for substitutes is $85 a day and increases with tenure. However, she noted, it has become increasingly difficult to find substitutes and the pool is shrinking. She said absences in secondary schools go unfilled and that the department’s priority is on filling elementary school positions.

When told of the union’s reaction, Thornton said in an email, “I am glad teachers will be in school tomorrow.”

Comments

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  • ENawrocki

    I teach first grade in Warwick. I went to the doctor this morning before school, had cortisone injected into my ankle and was on time for school. While I limped around all day, my students and I had a fantastic day in school today. My students sang a song about pumpkins to me that they learned in music class when I picked them up. When we were "boo-ed" and the students were choosing from the erasers that another class mysteriously surprised us with, one student gave up her eraser unprompted because she said "it meant more to the other student." My heart was warmed today numerous times as my students helped each other with the many things we learned today. When I am with my students, I LOVE my job.

    That being said, I am on day 21 of a cold which turned into a sinus infection and am almost finished with round 1 of antibiotics. I am thinking a call to my doctor for a different antibiotic is in the near future. Today alone, I was directly sneezed on twice and felt droplets from being coughed on at least 3 times. I have not taken a single sick day this year despite this sickness. My point with all this is that I work in a germ factory. I knew this going in and am okay with getting sick more often than the general population in exchange for the privilege to teach. But if teachers need sick days, they need sick days. There isn't enough hand sanitizer in the world to protect you from a first grader sneezing on you.

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • warwick10

    90 - day sick leave benefit?! I'm all for teachers--but honestly! I work in the healthcare field--germs everywhere... My employer grants me 10 sick days per year!

    Thursday, October 27, 2016 Report this

  • allent

    never ends with them more, more more. never enough. wonder why the roads look like crap and the young people are leaving? start with these unions

    Friday, October 28, 2016 Report this

  • Okgo-okgo

    Yeah all these critics are right. Teachers should be in school, vomiting on their students in the classroom. These teachers are selfish for trying to follow the special education laws, too. The administration has proven how much they care when they rush to pack hundreds of kids in dirty old buildings without preparing properly. Keep packing um in. Doesn't take a masters degree to figure out who the crooks are in this situation.

    Saturday, October 29, 2016 Report this

  • ThatGuyInRI

    Crooks?

    So who precisely is making money off of this OKGO? It's real easy to lob unfounded insults and accusations, name names. You call some unknown and unnamed person a crook. Who is a crook?

    Monday, October 31, 2016 Report this

  • Kammy

    If you call in sick because you are sick then no one takes issue with that. If you call in because it has been decided to have a sick out then we all take issue with that. You are trying to force (or punish) the administration's hand. A 90 day sick day agreement is outrageous especially since you work 180 - 185 days a year. Concessions must be made on both sides.

    Monday, October 31, 2016 Report this