Teachers call threat of sickout rumor

Warwick Beacon ·

Schools could be closed today.

That was the warning issued yesterday afternoon to parents on the Connect-Ed system by Superintendent Philip Thornton in response to reports that the Warwick Teachers Union had planned a “sick-out.”

Warwick Teachers Union President Darlene Netcoh debunked any effort of a union coordinated sickout.

“It’s a rumor. I’ve never pressured anyone to do anything …there’s no coordinated action,” she said in a telephone call. “He’s [Thornton] the one spreading rumors and causing trouble.”

Netcoh would not say whether union leadership had discussed a sick-out.

“I’m not going to discuss union business,” she said.

In an interview Wednesday, Thornton was hopeful teachers won’t stage a sick-out but said administrators would be carefully monitoring teacher attendance this morning and would close schools if absenteeism was such that the district couldn’t staff schools. He couldn’t say whether this would be a system-wide closure or just certain schools.

“We can’t do anything until something occurs,” he said.

He said the matter would be treated like a weather-related closing with the decision based on numbers of teachers reporting sick rather than the threat or actual amount of falling snow.

The first indication of widespread sickouts would come at the secondary level, where schools open first. Conceivably, secondary schools could be closed if there were insufficient teachers and elementary schools could stay open, although Thornton said that may raise issues with busing.

The superintendent said he learned of the possibility of a sick-out Tuesday following meetings at several schools.

In the notice issued to parents yesterday before 2 p.m., Thornton said, “We have received several credible reports that the Warwick Teachers Union is pressuring its membership to ‘call in’ sick tomorrow, Thursday, October 27th in an attempt to disrupt schooling as a way of protesting the state of teacher contract negotiations.”

Within minutes of being issued, the statement provoked a flurry of comments on social media, from criticism of Thornton for not closing the schools so parents could plan accordingly to outrage directed at the teachers, as well as support for teachers.

“I support Warwick school teachers,” writes Shawana Scotti on the Community of Warwick Facebook page. “They do need a contract…I hope they do call in sick tomorrow. Get well soon.”

“Any other job where you just don’t show up you can get fired, no call-no job,” was another comment.

Nathan Cornell, who declared as a candidate for school committee and lost in the September primary, claimed in a post that the union has no intention of pressing teachers to call out sick. He charged the call to parents is an effort to divert attention from the school administration’s unpopular recommendation that was followed by the committee to consolidate elementary schools.

Warwick teachers have been without a contract since August 2015. Despite negotiations followed by arbitration and mediation, the parties have not reached an agreement. Mediation was broken off earlier this month when the union rejected a three-year “take it or leave it” offer that would have given them 3 percent raises in each of the three years but stripped out language on classroom weighting and co-op teaching, altered the current 90-day sick leave benefit, and lifted the prior limitation of 20 layoffs annually. Citing fears over class sizes and loss of individualized instruction with the loss of weighing that restricts class sized based on the number of special needs students, the union countered with an offer calling for higher wage increases and restoration of the language.

School Committee Chair Beth Furtado saw no reason to continue mediation at that point, and mediator Vincent Ragosta in an email to the parties said he would step back in but at this point the sides were too set in their positions. He recommended the parties continue with arbitration that started about nine months ago. It has taken that long for schools to present their issues, and the union has yet to present its side.

Does Thornton see talks as having reached an impasse?

“I’m always optimistic we can work through a contract,” he said. The arbitration scheduled for Tuesday was canceled at the union’s request, he said.

Netcoh charged the committee with “not negotiating in good faith,” adding that arbitration won’t result in a contract because arbitration is not binding on monetary issues and most issues come down to money. She said the union remains willing to meet.

“I’m hopeful the other side comes to its senses,” she said.

In the advisory to parents, Thornton acknowledges reports of a sick-out could be “merely a rumor,” and if that is substantiated they would receive an email. If schools have to be closed because of a lack of teachers, Thornton said parents would receive a call through the department messaging system as well as an email.

Teacher absenteeism has been running high, with 66 of the system’s 882 teachers calling in sick Tuesday and 67 yesterday. Under the department’s system, teachers calling in sick are required to produce a doctor’s note after three days as well as for days preceding a holiday. If teachers fail to produce a note on the fourth consecutive day of being out sick, they lose that day of pay.

According to Katherine Duncanson, school personnel director, the department “shares” about 160 substitute teachers with other school districts. Starting pay for substitutes is $85 a day and increases with tenure. However, she noted, it has become increasingly difficult to find substitutes and the pool is shrinking. She said absences in secondary schools go unfilled and that the department’s priority is on filling elementary school positions.

When told of the union’s reaction, Thornton said in an email, “I am glad teachers will be in school tomorrow.”