Boston Teachers Union takes on Rahm Emanuel in ad in Chicago paper
The Boston Teachers Union says it has taken out a full-page ad in the Chicago Sun-Times in support of the Chicago teacher union in its contract battle with Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Union president Richard Stutman says the union reacted after Emanuel “publicly chastised” Chicago’s union, comparing them with Boston teachers, who this week reached a contract settlement with the administration of Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
Stutman says Emanuel was wrong on the details and he “overstepped.”
“We offer 100 percent support to our fellow unionists in Chicago,” he said this morning. “The issues they’re fighting for in Chicago are issues that are held dearly by millions of teachers around the country.”
more . . . http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2012/09/14/boston-teachers-union-takes-rahm-emanuel-chicago-paper/SQJikDUs4M5G0yB6CEqX3O/story.html
The ad:
Chicago, Illinois Dear Mr. Mayor:
We understand you referenced our recent contract settlement in Boston a few days ago. While one cannot compare apples to oranges, we’d like to point out a few flaws in your characterization of our settlement.
Before we begin, let us say that the members of the Boston Teachers Union have voted unanimously to support the CTU. Their fight against your corporate-driven policies has captured the attention of teachers around the country, and we are proud to join with millions of others in sending our full support and admiration to the CTU. The CTU is standing up for what we all believe in.
Now...back to your comments.
• Teachers in Boston whose buildings are closed have a seniority-based right to obtain positions in other schools. We have always had this right. We did not have to fight for this right in this last settlement. We have always respected veteran professionals. We support the right of Chicago Teachers to obtain similar protections. To deny hard-working professionals this right is to deny that experience and training matter in educating our youngsters.
• When teachers are laid off, they have a seniority-based right to come back to work into a position that they are qualified to teach. We haven’t had to fight for that either — we have always respected our veteran educators. We support the right of Chicago teachers to obtain this right. As above, experience and training matter and we support the CTU’s attempt to obtain this right as well.
• On performance evaluation, the contract we settled is consistent with a new MA state law. At some point student test score data will be used as one of multiple measures to determine part of a teacher’s rating. There is no set percentage. This, too, was not part of our settlement.
Finally, thank you for mentioning our contract settlement, which came about as a result of a mutually- respectful conversation between the parties. Perhaps you can learn from us—and begin to treat your own teaching force with the same respect.
Thank you, The 10,000 proud members of the Boston Teachers Union
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/Boston%20Teachers%20Union%281%29.pdf
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