Attachments

20191119-095028-NEA-B statement.pdf

The Barrington teachers union offered its response to the new contract it ratified recently, and also criticized the Barrington School Committee for not including the union when it issued an earlier press release regarding the agreement.

“NEA Barrington is proud of this new contract," said union president and Barrington Middle School teacher Mary Roberts, "and we agree that extreme dedication from both negotiation teams was required to achieve this result... It is unfortunate that the Barrington School Committee took this as an opportunity to impugn the credibility and professionalism of Barrington teachers, and to distort the terms of the agreement."

The teachers union statement offered "clarification" of points shared in the school committee's earlier press release. 

For example, the school committee's press release stated that teachers have "reaffirmed their pledge to provide after-school help for students for as long as is reasonably necessary."

The union said that topic was never discussed during negotiations and teachers do not need to "reaffirm" a pledge.

"As this community and the parents know, Barrington teachers are professionals who have always provided extra help for students including re-teaching central concepts to development and providing implementation of re-take opportunities when students perform below standard on assessments," stated the union response. "More importantly, Barrington teachers certainly did not delay these teaching and learning opportunities until after the contract was settled as the School Committee suggested."

The teachers union has also taken issue with the school committee's reference to fiscal prudence and fairness that they included in their prior statement. The committee had stated that the new contract awards proportionately greater salary increases to entry level teachers. The committee also stated that the contract calls for less than 2 percent increases annually for the next three years. 

"NEA Barrington attempted to negotiate a 2 percent increase across all steps, which was soundly rejected by the School Committee," stated the union. "…the School Committee insisted that step increases were sufficient and salary increases should only go to top-step teachers, which resulted in depressed wages for lower-step teachers… Unfortunately, entry-level teachers who only attain a bachelor’s degree will be 'rewarded' with a 1.5 percent increase over three years, which will hardly close the gap between steps and will contribute to continued disparity."

Read the entire NEA Barrington statement here.

The teachers union also responded to the school committee's statement that the contract clarifies proper use of educators personal and sick days. 

"Barrington teachers have one of, if not the, lowest absenteeism rates in Rhode Island. To suggest that Barrington teachers need to 'minimize absenteeism and improper use of these benefits is insulting," stated the teachers union release. "Unfortunately, due to later start and end times for secondary teachers, there may be an uptick in absenteeism as teachers can no longer get to doctor appointments without using their contractually allotted days for those purposes."

The school committee's statement also said that the new contract calls for educator quality to be the determining factor when filling vacancies. 

The teachers union response: "Interestingly, seniority has never been the controlling factor in hiring, transferring, or retaining educators in Barrington. It has always been and will continue to be a factor when filling vacancies when all other qualifications are equal. The new language agreed upon in this contract was clarified for the benefit of all parties."

The teachers union also referenced the new start time change for Barrington schools.

“Finally, now that the contract has been settled, NEA Barrington plans to publicly address the effects and consequences of the start time change at the secondary level,” Ms. Roberts said.