‘Work to rule’ a school loser

By Matt Bower
Posted 11/19/15

Although teachers have said a vote to “Work to Rule” was never taken by the Warwick Teachers Union, which has been without a contract since Aug. 31 as it continues to negotiate terms of a new …

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‘Work to rule’ a school loser

Posted

Although teachers have said a vote to “Work to Rule” was never taken by the Warwick Teachers Union, which has been without a contract since Aug. 31 as it continues to negotiate terms of a new contract with the Warwick School Committee, the actions (or inactions) of many teachers would seem to indicate they are operating under a Work to Rule mentality.

In order to understand how the practice is affecting students and what impact it is having, School Committee Vice Chair Eugene Nadeau reached out to building principals.

“No one ever looked into what Work to Rule means. We need to find out what it entails, so I did my homework,” Nadeau said. “What teachers are doing is beyond the pale when they haven’t lost a penny.”

Although Nadeau wasn’t able to speak to all 23 principals personally, he said each one had an opportunity to provide feedback about what is happening in their building. After receiving feedback, Nadeau compiled a list of 27 items related to Work to Rule.

They are as follows:

- Not attending open houses

- Only holding parent conferences during the contractual workday

- Not attending after school activities

- Not taking part in non-contract mandated before school activities

- Walking in together and out together

- Not covering late buses

- Not attending PTA/PTO meetings

- Not attending PTA/PTO functions

- Not doing above and beyond activities with students (for example, Student Council)

- No field trips

- Not participating in School Improvement Team

- Not volunteering for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports training

- Not being part of the Positive Behavioral Interventions team

- Not doing any advisory-type items: Feinstein Newsletter, Honor Society, Book Fair, Yearbook

- Some teachers not participating in Student of the Week submissions – outside of their contractual duties

- Not passing out STAR certificates to students or running PBIS assemblies

- Not volunteering to serve on any committees

- Not participating in Homecoming

- Majority only staying their one contractual department night

- Chromebook distributions limited, with many being returned

- Aspen use limited and not using the Parent Portal

- Voluntary clubs not running and creating a huge negative impact on student participation

- Only Schedule B participation happening for school events

- 9th grade team meetings being impacted by CPT/PD coverage requirements

- Project Respect cancelled

- No chaperoning, such as at dances

- Some teachers not writing letters of recommendation for students, creating a high level of anxiety for students needing letters for college

In addition to submitting the list to the Beacon, Nadeau read it at the last School Committee meeting on Nov. 10, in which teachers spoke up to contest some of the claims, saying teachers are writing letters of recommendation for students and at least one said he volunteered his services to the consolidation subcommittee, which is determining how Aldrich, Gorton and Warwick Veterans students will be divided up next year, but was told, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

“I believe all [teachers] started out Work to Rule, but some have realized the hurt being inflicted on students and education and they have stopped doing some of what Work to Rule incorporates,” Nadeau said Tuesday. “To those teachers who are refusing to Work to Rule, my heartfelt thanks and appreciation.”

Nadeau said he doesn’t know what pressures teachers are under until the contract is signed, “but I beg them to stop Work to Rule because they’re not gaining anything.”

Nadeau said students deserve better.

“Kids are excited about extracurricular activities because they mean a great deal to them, and to have a lot of them stopped is discouraging to students and their parents,” he said.

Nadeau said while he can’t speak for the rest of his colleagues on the School Committee, he has received “heartbreaking” letters, phone calls and emails from parents who are concerned about letters for college and meetings with teachers.

Nadeau said what’s happening with the contract is detrimental and is causing the reputation of the school department to be adversely affected.

“The problem is, students are aware of what’s happening and this is a lesson they shouldn’t be learning. When they see this, it’s not something they deserve to look at or be made a part of,” he said. “I’m sad at what has taken place and what continues to take place.”

As far as contract negotiations, Nadeau said there have been eight or nine meetings over the past few months and the two sides have not been successful in reaching a settlement.

“That we haven’t finished one page out of the 57-page contract is discouraging,” he said, adding he would like to see it resolved as soon as possible. “Every contract should be a compromise. The union is asking for $41 million of benefits over three years. We would have to close the school system if we granted that; they know it’s unreachable.”

At the Nov. 10 meeting, Pilgrim English teacher Jason Huddon said teachers are only asking to maintain what they have.

“We teachers want a fair contract offer on the table. Direct the law firm doing the negotiating for you to put a fair offer on the table,” Park teacher Jonathan Lautieri said at the meeting. “The offer that was presented after 30 hours of negotiations was demoralizing and it shows that you don’t value what we do in the classroom.”

With the two sides no closer to a deal, it appears the matter is headed for arbitration. Nadeau said the union has a few days to respond to the School Committee’s request for arbitration. He expects they will accept it.

“With Thanksgiving coming up, I wish they would say, ‘We have a lot to be thankful for,’ quit this and get back to teaching,” he said.

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    In other words, they are doing what they are paid for. I wonder how many people who complain about work to rule hit the door at 5 on the dot every day.

    Thursday, November 19, 2015 Report this

  • Norm88

    WOW...Nothing like negotiating in the media always a good idea… Good to see the $5000/ month to the PR company is being used wisely and shame on you Warwick Beacon for even printing this list…

    Thursday, November 19, 2015 Report this

  • FedUp

    Thank you Nadeau for pointing out all the extras that teachers provide above and beyond their contractual duties. They are amazing! It is a shame that the school committee does not negotiate with teachers in good faith and does not value all the extra work performed by teachers. If it did, teachers would be paid for those extra responsibilities. If you want teachers at open house, include that in the contract but offer extra pay. I am glad that high schoolers are seeing teachers stand together. It will teach them to take a stand. At the elementary school, at least at my school, the teachers have not shown anything but professionalism! We miss them at our PTA meetings and functions. They are an asset to our schools and I realize that when they attend our meetings and our events they do so on their own time for the good of the school and students. The teachers are taking a stand in support of one another and the quality of our students' education. But I must thank you for pointing out all the amazing extras teachers provide our students beyond the classroom!

    Thursday, November 19, 2015 Report this

  • PaulHuff

    The other unions in the city took zeros for raises and did givebacks from 2012-2015.

    The teachers took raises during 2012-2015.

    Sorry teachers. It's your turn.......

    Thursday, November 19, 2015 Report this

  • wheelchairman

    (Slow Clap) Wow.....hands down this article has to be one of the best hatchet pieces I have read in a long time. Ok blink twice if your being held hostage?

    I think all this article has done is show what our teachers do for free to help the kids of Warwick. Also it show how out of touch Mr Nadeau and I guess most of the school committee are. Does Mr Nadeau speak for everyone on the school committee?

    So you stated about how the teachers want all this money, can you state what the school committee wants? I mean the negotiations process can't be that secert since your stating the WTU stance.....can you also state the School Committee stance...I mean you wanna hold negotiations in the public now, right?

    You can negotiate a fair deal for both sides......you can negotiate a deal that neither side is happy,but both sides are satisfied . You can negotiate a deal that both sides feel like they got a fair deal. It's time to step up school committee, lead or get out of the way. The childern deserve better, the city deserves better, the people who work for you deserve better. Stop hiring people to do the jobs you were elected to do.

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    I like it when editorials make the front page and pretend to be news. Great yellow journalism.

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • knowthetruth4

    Mr. Nadeau is a teacher hater and every decision he makes is based on this. Let's look at what he has said about teachers in the Warwick Beacon over the last decade or so.

    -Said teachers were like vultures waiting to feed on the battered bodies of Warwick taxpayers in 2003.

    -Called teachers educational terrorists in 2003.

    -Said the contract dispute of 2004 was only attributable to the Warwick Teachers Union in 2004.

    -Called the teachers union president an educational dictator in 2004.

    -Said there were many excellent and devoted teachers in Warwick but they are the silent minority in 2004.

    -Said the education of Warwick students will only come second to outright greed in 2005.

    -Called teachers educational malcontents in 2005.

    -Called Warwick teachers pathetic and disruptive in 2006.

    -Said Mayor Avedisian is in bed with the unions in 2006.

    -Said teachers were financially raping the city of Warwick in 2006.

    -Decides to change his tone in 2010 since he was running for School committee and says teacher in Warwick were dedicated.

    -Says the unions could control the votes on the school committee in 2011.

    -Says that he believes the unions are in control of the Warwick school system in 2011.

    -Tried to say it was not a personal vendetta against us when he was the only committee member to not sign the contract agreement in 2012.

    -Said Warwick teachers were holding the district hostage last month at the school committee meeting.

    Lets take a look at the status of the Warwick School Department in the last few years since Mr. Nadeau has been a member of the school committee. All of the following have happened under his watch.

    -Our school system is on its 4th superintendent since 2012.

    -Superintendent Horoschak was relieved of his duties and the beacon reported that his departure was cloaked in secrecy.

    -The school dept had to pay him $272,302 for all of 2012 when he did not work as well as the remainder of his contract. The public still has not been told why he was let go.

    -Dr. D'Agostino is forced into retirement after a story breaks about the mishandling of a discipline matter at Gorton. The school committee goes to court to keep the independent report out of public view and recently lost.

    -School Department suddenly puts the former lawyer and current head of HR on leave which seems like they are trying to get out in front of what the soon to be released Rogasta report might say.

    -School dept spent more than $250,000 of taxpayer funds to have a private firm give us our best consolidation option and then simply threw this advice in the trash.

    -School Committee is caught on audio tape posted on their own site speaking before the start of meeting and saying how they want to try and limit the public comment portion of the meeting to 30 seconds, an unprecedented move.

    -The mayor calls for a new superintendent search after the school committee removes a teacher supported candidates name from the running in a vote that was supposed to be done in public as is required by law.

    -The school committee has refused to let teachers be a part of the various consolidation committees that have been set up effectively shutting out the people that have the most experience in the schools and spend the most time with Warwick's students.

    -The committee recently sent a letter to the union requested that they want to go to arbitration even though they had a mediation date set. They would like to use their new well paid lawyer to do their job for them rather than performing their elected duty to negotiate in good faith with teachers.

    -This article is unfair and only shows how much teachers do for free on a regular basis. The beacon needs to spend as much time looking into the above mishaps and let the public know what is really going on in the school department.

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    Between the School Committee, City Council and teachers' union, I don't see a positive outcome for the most important parties, the students and taxpayers of Warwick. Too bad we can't privatize the school system for 3-5 years and see what happens...

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Gene,

    I read your list of 27 items you judge to be wrong with our teachers. Do you honestly think you're helping Gene? I don't. We have a terrible disconnect between the School Committee and the teachers. And it is so huge you decided to spent taxpayer money and hire a PR company just to make the school committee look better than their performance shows. Your comments, even if they were spot on, and they are not, do nothing but increase the disconnect and resentment, in my opinion. Rather than "judge" I suggest you "help". Offer to pitch-in on every one of those 27 items! Offer your time. Offer your wisdom. Offer your effort. Offer your heart. Help bridge the gap, not widen it. If you want, I will match you, hour for hour, event for event. That is my challenge to you.

    That's just how I feel and Gene, if you read the comments of all these other concerned citizens, I think we can agree that you should not have written such a scathing list. Maybe you should write an apology.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

    Richard Corrente

    Democrat for Mayor - 2016

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • emark1

    Gene,

    Teachers are trying to protect the students of this city against a school administration and school committee that is trying to destroy their education. Trying to put 25 kids in every kindergarten class, and 28 in every other class, is not what is best for our kids.

    This is what the school committee wants, and this is what teachers in this city are fighting against. You forget that we work directly with the children everyday- you do not. We care more than you ever will, despite your grandstanding.

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    No one seems to notice the correlation between school departments wanting to close unneeded schools and the teachers' unions calls for smaller class sizes; every time there's a move to close unnecessary schools, the unions complain about class size in a move to keep those schools open, and in so doing protect their numbers.

    My word... how did we ever graduate with valuable life skills and a minimum of testing with up to 40+ kids in the room?! That was a rhetorical question: we were well-behaved and paid attention because we were told that was how you got ahead in life- we were taught those values AT HOME.

    Friday, November 20, 2015 Report this

  • BettyJ

    Mr. Nadeau you have no idea what goes on in a school on a day to day basis. How can you say the teachers need to go back to teaching?? I think it is time you retire for good and maybe this city can get back on the road to greatness. This list is a perfect example of all the things teachers do FOR NOTHING!! They have never asked for anything in return to do these volunteer activites. They are being disrespected in a very public way right now and I certainly do not blame them for scaling back. It is time for the City Council to rewrite the City Charter and get rid of the School Committee for good. Mr. Nadeau and Ms. Ahern are the first two reasons this needs to be done!

    Saturday, November 21, 2015 Report this

  • TessEckel

    Bravo Nadeau and Warwick Beacon!

    Nadeau wasted an enormous amount of time, to point out all of the free services teachers provided (with a predetermined, sole purpose of trying to publicly slander the reputation of educators in the community) and the Warwick Beacon thought this was a great story to publish? Isn't that illegal? Is this guy ok? Why is he in charge of making any decisions for children? Nadeau's behavior, in this instance, makes him look like a villain. He is not looking for solutions or compromise. His agenda is evil, self serving and not in the best interest of the community or children. His is a horrible example for children by modeling highly inappropriate behavior (bullying) in a public forum. Nadeau made a weak attempt to try to sabotage and humiliate educators (and Warwick Beacon provided the forum for this sick agenda). As someone who agreed to "serve the public in making fair decisions that are good for children" perhaps Nadeau should make some changes in his own behaviors before publicly using the local newspaper to point out the flaws of others. He is certainly not perfect, so what makes his judgement credible? Is this a tabloid or a newspaper? This story made me sick. I hope you all sleep well at night publishing this type of garbage and labeling it "news". If this publication had any credibility, it would focus on articles about education that were informed, based on all of the facts (not purposefully leaving out relevant details) and writing stories focused on solutions for taxpayers and the children in the communities. It's clear that facts and solutions are not a priority (but rather some other selfish agendas) at the Warwick Beacon.

    Saturday, November 21, 2015 Report this

  • danfire

    Sounds like jean Nadeau is upset with what is going on. Maybe he should look in the mirror. He is the 1 pissing people off. He is the 1 spending money on lawyers, consultants and internal investigations. He voted to hire D'agostino, Mullin and Healy no questions asked. He is the 1 who wants savings from every where. Jean this is not Walmart where cheap is in. I want more than a Walmart education for my children. I am friends with many Teachers and do not blame them for not doing the extra. Jean why don't you stop by the schools and leans a hand for free.

    Saturday, November 21, 2015 Report this

  • DO2015

    I can't believe that the voters in Warwick and the residents allow the school committee and especially Gene to decide the future education of their children and the future of this city. Not to far from here but in MA, most of the cities and towns have brand new campuses as well as much higher level of education. School Committees and the MA legislation have understood that quality education attracts new businesses in the area which bring jobs and more taxpayers. On the other side, weak school system=families moving out of the area plus less tax income. In addition, this ruins local economy and depresses home values. Let's start by building a future for this city and build a foundation. Teachers deserve all they get and more. Devoting the life to education and being a soldier of enlightenment is not an easy task. They are devoted individuals that work/plan and look after all of our children. Tearing down education and teacher is regressive and adds no value to our community. Make Warwick A Beacon Again!

    Monday, November 23, 2015 Report this

  • DO2015

    Here is my response to the statement made by one of the comment nets regarding 40 in the class and other issues;

    1. You can't fit 40 in any of these classeses due to terrible class/air conditions and size.

    2. Times have changed and Warwick schools have not. I am not touching asbestos/air quality/lockers/ bathrooms/ gyms and outside facilities. How are preparing the next generation to compete globally without any technology? It's sad to see that schools in 3rd world countries may be better equipped than Warwick Schools.

    4. Yes. Education starts at home but you can't punish a child for wanting to learn more.

    5. I remember and loved my teachers. Most of them reinforced my love for science, math and history. I always remember them and always talk with respect about them.

    6. Warwick needs a referendum to throw this school committee out and hold new elections for school committee. They have my vote of no confidence.

    Monday, November 23, 2015 Report this