Struggling New York School Workers Get Knocked Hard in Budget War

from In These Times:



When kids across New York City shuffle into their classrooms next week, they'll discover that a few members of their school community won't be attending, and their absence will be sorely felt.

Fresh casualties of the city's budget wars, more than 700 city school aides and other support personnel have been expelled. As of October 7, many schools will have to adjust to fewer hall monitors, parent coordinators, and other assistants who help administrators and teachers cope with stuffed classrooms, dwindling supply cabinets, and endless standardized tests.

.....(snip).....

It's not just that struggling schools will lose many critical support positions; the layoffs could also strike a blow to hundreds of low-income families supported by these jobs. On the one hand, this reflects a trend of disinvestment and segregation throughout the school system. Yet, advocates say the cuts were largely unnecessary—just a byproduct of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's drive to teach labor a lesson. Union leaders charge that the city is simultaneously posting employment ads advertising "vacancies for the same jobs performed by these unionized public employees." So why get rid of jobs and advertise vacancies at the same time?

The back story is the perennial gridlock surrounding the Department of Education contract talks. While the teachers' union was spared after taking a series of concessions, the school aides' union DC37 pushed back hard against a proposal to raid union healthcare funds. And the union fears the Mayor may now be seeking payback by gutting jobs. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.inthesetimes.com/working/entry/12068/struggling_new_york_school_workers_get_knocked_hard_in_budget_war/

They generally don't have the same kind of contract protections teachers have. And they're the first to go when the budget is cut. Very sad situation. So many school employees out of work.