Thornton, WTU trade barbs over teacher offers

Union denies it asked for 30% raise of next 3 years

By John Howell
Posted 5/3/16

In a departure from the traditional protocol of remaining silent unless contract negotiations break down, Superintendent Phil Thornton and members of the Warwick School Department’s negotiation …

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Thornton, WTU trade barbs over teacher offers

Union denies it asked for 30% raise of next 3 years

Posted

In a departure from the traditional protocol of remaining silent unless contract negotiations break down, Superintendent Phil Thornton and members of the Warwick School Department’s negotiation team have expressed their “bewilderment” with what they say is the Warwick Teachers Union’s latest contract demand for a 30-percent pay raise over the next three years.

Union president George Landrie countered with a press release issued yesterday afternoon calling the 30-percent pay increase “fiction.” Union executive director James Ginolfi called the school release “lies,” adding at no time did the WTU ask for raises of 10, 10 and 10, and “that’s nowhere in the ball park.” He would not disclose what the union asked for.

In response to the union claims of “fiction,” Thornton said before going public on the issue, the schools confirmed the union offer with mediator Vincent Ragosta.

“We stand by its accuracy,” he said.

The differences in numbers could be partially explained by the terms of a three-year contract. The department’s offer was based on an extension of the contract that expired last August – a zero-percent increase in salaries until this August, followed by a three-year agreement.

According to a release issued yesterday, when the two sides met with independent mediator Ragosta on April 20, schools offered a proposal that would have given teachers a 2-percent raise in year one of the contract, a 2-percent raise in year two, and a 2-percent raise in year three – in total, a 6-percent raise over three years. The union claims the offer was 0, 2 and 2.

“We spent several hours there,” Thornton said when asked about the nature of the session and whether he thought the union’s counterproposal of raises of 10 percent in each of the next three years to be a joke. “They presented it in a very serious manner. It was no joke whatsoever.”

Based on the projection of 858 teachers in the upcoming school budget with a projected salary cost of $67,572,141, the first year of the union demand would cost an additional $6.7 million in salaries plus $1.5 in benefits.

The School Committee countered with an offer on April 26 submitted by the school’s attorney, Andrew Henneous, by certified mail. That proposal was for raises of 2 percent in year one, 2.5 percent in year two, and 3 percent in year three.

The cost of the first year would be $1.3 million in additional salary costs and $200,000 in benefits.

Ginolfi disputed the veracity of the school claim, saying that that offer totaled less than 2 percent per year on average over each of the contract’s three years.

“They misled everybody. They didn’t tell the whole story,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a related matter since it deals with the contract, the department started sending out layoff notices to 65 teachers last Monday as part of the plan to consolidate secondary schools with the closing of Aldrich and Gorton Junior High Schools and Vets High. Vets is to reopen this fall as a junior high.

The union contends it is operating under the prior contract that expired last August. That contract limits layoffs to 20. Since a number of layoff notices went to part-time teachers, the number of full-time positions to be eliminated total 51.

Thornton said it is too early to know how many teachers might retire this year, requiring the department to call back personnel who have received pink slips. He expected that wouldn’t be known until June.

Landrie said the school offer was tied to other concessions, including unlimited layoffs.

In his release, Thornton said more than 70 percent of Warwick teachers’ salaries are $77,000 annually.

“A 30 percent raise over three years would make the Warwick teachers the highest paid teachers in the country,” reads the release.

“There really is no point to other details because this is so outrageous,” Thornton said Monday, after the union failed to respond to the school department’s most recent offer.

In his statement, Thornton went on to say, “We want the membership to know what we’re offering, that it is an authentic offer, and that we are sincere in our effort to create a fair solution to both sides. We have our doubts that our proposals are being shared with the membership.”

Thornton said contract arbitration talks are scheduled for this month and June. He said the matter of exchanging salary offers surfaced at the union’s request.

“The union asked for a meeting to work out the differences, and I was encouraged by that,” he said.

What he heard, however, he thought important to share with the community, because he and others “want the public to know the school committee is attempting to hold serious and sincere negotiations with the union leadership and thus far have not seen the same from the other side of the negotiations table.”

“I have an obligation to do what’s best for the students of this city, and I also have a responsibility as a steward of public funds and to act in the best interests of the residents, the taxpayers, of our community,” reads Thornton’s statement.

Comments

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  • SOS822

    “There really is no point to other details because this is so outrageous,” Thornton said

    The other details ARE the most important part of this debate. It is clear that the superintendent is not interested in sharing the whole truth with the public. Teacher contracts are much more than raises. The language in contracts is essential to ensure that students are receiving the best possible education. The other details ensure that classes are a reasonable size and that special education students are receiving the support that they require to be successful. The teachers are currently following the terms of the existing contract yet the administration has chosen to blatantly disregard the language regarding lay offs. The statement issued by Dr. Thorton just shows why the teachers of this district have a complete mistrust in the central administration.

    Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    30% ?

    That's all?

    The raise has to be much more substantial than that to keep the fine teachers we have and to attract the best and the brightest to our schools.

    How can these people even feed themselves?

    Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Report this

  • davebarry109

    The fact that the teachers would be looking for 10% raises is frightening but even more scary is that the city would offer them almost 10% over three years. Inflation is below 2% and our teachers are already very well paid. They have months off each year with the best weekends and holidays off schedule of any group earning their salaries. The city is not exactly playing hardball here.

    Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Report this

  • warwick_resident

    What happened to negotiations? What happened to mediation? What happened to arbitration? Until both sides sit a the table this will not be resolved. I love the idea that the teachers should jump at the opportunity to get a 2% raise that would eliminate contract language drastically impacting the students of Warwick. I can't wait to hear the details behind the offer. The teachers are following the contract and continue to go above and beyond to meet the diverse needs of their students. Dr. Thornton likes to pick and choose which parts of the contract he follows. Negotiating in the press completely undermines the entire process. Let's continue to waste tax dollars on lawyers to do the job that the school committee was elected to do.

    4020

    Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Report this

  • Jonduenuts

    I agree SOS 822., Thornton is picking and choosing what he releases so that he looks good and that teachers look bad. He has a past history of going into school districts and consolidating, that is the real reason the school committee hired him. He is duplicitous in the fact that he is states he is for a fair working conditions and school environment for all. He really is for cutting special education and slashing teachers to satisfy school committee members Ahearn and Nadeau personal jaded agenda against teachers . As soon as he does his dirty work he will leave for his next position and pay raise, which is his real mission. What's sad is he was a former teacher you think he would remember where he came from and actually negotiate a contract ,instead of hiring 2 lawyers that are just siphoning more money from the tax payers of Warwick to do a job that already have people hired and voted to do. He is just like any other political figure hide the facts , skew the truth and keep the people in the dark until his personal agenda is met then leave when the proverbial turd hits the fan. Thanks Phil.

    Wednesday, May 4, 2016 Report this

  • patientman

    Negotiations should be televised. Taxpayers could see how the sausage is made and call BS when they see it. It is our money, why aren't we privy to the back room deals.

    Saturday, May 7, 2016 Report this