|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
News :: Miscellaneous |
|
Our Struggling Democracy: 85 Striking Teachers Jailed In New Jersey |
Current rating: 0 |
by John Curran, AP
(No verified email address) |
05 Dec 2001
Modified: 07 Dec 2001 |
|
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) -- A strike by Middletown teachers went through its fifth day Wednesday after a new round of negotiations broke down. By noon, 38 more striking teachers were jailed, boosting the three-day total to 85. |
FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) -- A strike by Middletown teachers went through its fifth day Wednesday after a new round of negotiations broke down. By noon, 38 more striking teachers were jailed, boosting the three-day total to 85.
There were no indications that the strike -- or the jailings -- would end any time soon. Despite the intervention of two state-appointed mediators, negotiations between the Middletown Township Education Association and the town's Board of Education broke off after five hours Tuesday night.
They were scheduled to resume Wednesday night, but both sides appeared to be digging in their heels.
"It's become a war," said Schools Superintendent Jack DeTalvo.
About 1,000 teachers struck the district's 17 schools last Thursday, and have refused to return to work, defying an order by Superior Court Judge Clarkson S. Fisher Jr.
The teachers have been offered pay raises of 3.8, 4 and 4.2 percent over three years, but their contributions to health care costs that have become the main obstacle to a settlement.
Instead of paying a flat annual fee of $250, the teachers are being asked to agree to a sliding scale based on a percentage of their salary. A teacher making more than $65,000 a year would pay $853 a year, or more than $600 over their current contribution.
About 40 percent of the contracts negotiated for the 2000-2001 school year required employees to pay more for their health care, through higher deductibles or higher employee contributions to premiums, according to Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association.
"Boards need to find ways to control costs and direct more money to the classrooms," Belluscio said.
Middletown's teachers and school board have a contentious history.
"The board of education has, through several past contracts, reneged on many, many promises," said Arline Corbett, one of the teachers jailed Wednesday. "I will not be fooled again."
About 110 teachers broke ranks with the union, and returned to work Wednesday, DeTalvo said.
The pace of the hearings picked up Wednesday, with two judges and two courtrooms employed for the hearings. By lunchtime, 38 teachers had been ordered to jail by Fisher and Superior Court Judge Ira Kreizman.
Among them was Philip Couch, a 20-year veteran of the Middletown schools. He was handcuffed and taken away in a sheriff's van with five other teachers as his wife, Karen, and the couple's two children watched.
"Why did it have to come to this -- highly educated people standing up for what they believe in being led off to jail in handcuffs like common criminals," Mrs. Couch said.
"Why did they have to go to jail when the board gets off and just sends them," said Devyn Couch, 13, the couple's daughter.
Some strikers were excused from a jail sentence because of medical conditions or pressing family problems.
Special education teacher Kate Cosgrove told Fisher in a long monologue that she was a dedicated teacher who bought equipment for her classroom with her own money and endured emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her autistic students. She said she never complained or filed a worker's compensation claim.
But when it was her turn to be jailed, she told Fisher that she had two young daughters who needed her at home. She was excused.
"It's always the ones with the longest speeches," Fisher said as Cosgrove walked out of the courtroom. "It's a good thing there wasn't a back door at the Alamo."
Those who were jailed found the accommodations austere.
Jean Bennett, 58, said she was photographed, fingerprinted, given tan prison garb to wear and fed a baloney and cheese sandwich when she was incarcerated Tuesday. Bennett, a member of the union's negotiating committee, was released Tuesday night to participate in the talks. She was jailed again Wednesday.
She said she felt "numb" while inside the jail.
"I still have tags on my furniture that say `Do Not Remove,' Corbett told the judge. "I am a law-abiding citizen."
Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
|
See also:
http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey/index.ssf?/pages/njmiddletown.html
|
Comments
|
Can a judge still serve injunctions like this? |
by Michael Feltes
mfeltes (nospam) gmx.net (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
06 Dec 2001
|
I really don't know enough about labor law for my own good, but is this judge contravening the Wagner Act by jailing strikers? Does he have this authority?
Why are these teachers reluctant to fill the jails? It's DIRECT ACTION, and it works, mate. |
|
228 Teachers Now Jailed |
by ML
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
07 Dec 2001
|
Follow this link to a New York Times article reposted on Chicago IMC:
http://chicago.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=6648&group=webcast
It's disgusting, slanted coverage. Go to the last paragraph and read "Incarceration is clearly having the desired effect..." Desired by whom? The authorities and the ever-shameless New York Times both, from the way this is written.
Solidarity. |
|
Judge Favors School Board and Insurance Company over Teachers Union. |
by Brion M. Kean
bkean (nospam) wzadesign.com (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
07 Dec 2001
|
Judge Clarkson S. Fisher Jr. is the type of man who does not belong in a position of power in this country. He represents the corporate powers that be, and is a prime example a corrupt person being given unchecked powers.
Simply stated, this man represents the tyranny of those who will Dictate the laws of this nation to best represent the financial influences that be. And, when adequate laws do not exist to acheive their agendas, and those of their financial contributors, they will create and concoct new ways to force people to comply.
This action, by Judge Clarkson S. Fisher Jr. is DEPLORABLE. It is my opinion that he should be removed from office for this action. For those who support the rights of Teachers, and the cause of Unions against Corporate Monarchy (especially the big business of Health Insurance,
as we can infer from this article that Judge Clarkson S. Fisher Jr. has been significantly influenced by)
"..The teachers, who make an average of $56,000 annually,
are fighting a move to increase their health care premiums
by up to $600 per person, per year. Currently, they pay $250..."
For a school system of over 1000 teachers, this represents an Insurance increase of $600,000 per year. The total cost of insurance would be increased from the current annual payment of $250,000 per year to MORE than DOUBLE that amount .
(A total in payments equaling more than $850,000 per year.)
I would wager that they are not in any way receiving a comparable increase in benefit quality and service.
Please take notice that this Judge has sided against the Teachers Union at a time when they are in contract negotioation. Their contract with the School ended June 30.
He has chosen to side with the Corporate Insurance interests over those of School Teachers.
I believe that this man is dangerous, and should be publicly reprimanded and condemened for his actions.
As an American, I am appalled when I see Justice perverted like this by the greedy, corrupt, and power hungry.
I find it sickening that this man has the power, right and authority to put School Teachers in jail
for defying his personal orders.
These are the actions of a very misguided ego, who does not represent the best interests of his community, the
students in the school, or the teachers he is affecting. He has ignored the pleas of the community at large
who DID NOT FULLY SUPPORT his Decree.
Over 700 teachers in the Manmouth School do not support his choice. They represent the force of self betterment
in that community. They are the front lines against ignorance. And they were put in jail by the ignorance of an arrogant judge.
The Teachers of Monmoth county were not given a fair choice. They were told to either work with no contract protecting their rights, or face a jail sentence seperating them from their families, and loved ones. This is not Democracy. This is not Freedom. This is a step down the
road to Tyranny and Dictatorship.
If you disagree with this Judges' actions, please make your voices heard. Men like this must be opposed by the force of will of the voters who grant them the Right to serve office. They have the power to lock in jail those who criticize and disobey their orders. This is a serious failing of the checks and balances system our country and entire legal system is founded upon.
By succumbing to this precident, we jeopardize the future of our Liberty.
Sincerely,
Brion Michael Kean
Boulder, Colorado
bkean (at) wzadesign.com |
|
