The Governor's Proposed Changes to Rhode Island's Labor Law
Carroll Andrew Morse
These are some of the state labor law changes being proposed by Governor Carcieri as part of his budget reform package...
Article 25:
…makes explicit a school committee's authority to lay off teachers in the event of budget deficiencies without a particular hearing for the teacher being laid off.
Article 26:
…requires towns, cities and school committees to post proposed collective bargaining agreements on the appropriate town or city website 30 days prior to contract ratification.
Article 27:
…explicitly prohibit[s] "work to rule" labor actions by certified public school teachers. It also imposes…the loss of two days pay for each day of a strike and provides that a labor organization that promotes strikes shall lose its representational status and its ability to collect dues from its members for a period of three years.
Article 28:
…enhances the Department of Education's authority, in school districts under progressive support and intervention, to assign teachers to positions where they are most needed without collective bargaining contractual provisions.
Article 29:
…secure[s] school committee's management control over issues that are not appropriate for collective bargaining.
Article 43:
…[removes] any issue(s) relating to minimum manning from the scope of issues which can be negotiated or arbitrated under the policemen's and firefighter's arbitration laws.
Article 44:
25% cost sharing requirement for municipal employee health insurance.
My favorite is #27, but they all look fantastic!
This is without a doubt the most sensible proposal that has been presented by any RI official in a very long time. I hope the legislature has the wisdom to make it happen.
"I hope the legislature has the wisdom to make it happen."
I agree that it is a very well thought out proposal. I'm not counting on their collective "wisdom," since the majority of them are self-serving idiots. However, I am counting on the lack of any viable alternatives.
After reading through the governor's entire speech tonight and seeing the articles posted here, I agree this is a beginning and redefining who and what we are and that unions must no longer be allowed the freedoms they have had - Being the size of Rhode Island and the number 1 in spending in anything when we have no business to sustain such union largess is unfathomable- the giveaways and handouts must stop and those drawing pensions now must be thought of in regards to the ongoing COLA promises - no guarantees!!!
On the one hand, these proposals seem very reasonable and responsible. On the other, when you think of what has beeen the status quo for decades in the public sector, these proposals seem revolutionary, even shocking.
pitcher,
Thank you for bringing up that idiotic "The People Support East Providence Teachers" post by the RIF Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda.
He was touting a completely non-scientific and easily manipulated online poll (I voted a few times myself, just to see if it was possible), as if it was some kind of gauge of general public opinion. The only people with an inclination to vote in something silly like that would be those with something to lose, and no real defense based in truth. I can just imagine them all desperately pressing away at the keyboard, as if their very lives depended on it.
Here's a real poll question: "Since teacher's salaries and benefits account for 1/2 of all city spending, and 87% of all school spending, should we just give the East Providence teachers everything they want, if it means that your property taxes will go up by 20%?"
I was actually embarrassed for him.
Dammit, Pitcher and Will, did you have to let it out of the bag that the ProJo poll is highly unscientific? Next you'll be telling him about the Easter Bunny!
Isn't a man entitled to his illusions??
What about just deporting all the illegals, and saving hundreds of millions of dollars on the cost of their free medical, housing, education and incarceration expenses instead?
Why should working people have to be deprived, so non-working illegal, non-citizen leeches can continue to feed at the trough for free?
I love the proposals too, especially after reading the article in edweek.org, Best and Worst Public Schjool Systems in the U.S.
They prepared a state by state report card...everyone that feels bad for our "work to rule", "where's my raise", "we care about the children" blah blah blah teachers should read this. Here's a sample:
K-12 achievement: D
Status: F
School Finance: A-
Spending: A-
College Readiness: D-
Teachers: D
Accountability for Quality: F
So, let's recap: The teachers themselves are a sad lot and refuse to police themselves to get better. The kids have a dismal chance at entering college after these pinheads are done "teaching" them. The only thing this group of leeches are good at it seems is spending on themselves.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. FIRE them all. With the economic outlook growing bleaker by the day. With people losing everything from their jobs, to their healthcare to their homes. How can these teachers still have the gall to come and ask not only that they not be made to pay anything towards their healthcare but ask for a pay raise that they feel they're entitled to. Let them wake up and feel what it's like to have to work and fight to keep the things that you've earned. They have no idea what real life is. Real life these days is certainly not a six hour workday with weekends, holidays and summers off and only working six months a year. Real life now is just being happy that you've even got a job. I'd like to see them suffer for a while so that they wake up and kiss my ass thanking me for what they have as a result of my hard work.
I live in Texas but read the Newport weekend newspaper which doesn't always arrive in a timely manner. Must have something to do with those "pinhead" teachers.
After reading Gov. Carcieri's proposed Article 27, I became curious about how anyone can be prevented from working to the conditions of his/her contract. Wow!! What's up with all of this teacher "slamming"? Everyone knows that personnel takes a huge chunk from business budgets. Education is no exception. You have to pay for your workforce, and your teachers are highly educated employees.
I have two children who graduated from Texas public schools. That's right - Texas Public Schools. Does Houston ring a bell? If you judge our public school system by the published accountability ratings, Rhode Island schools look pretty darn good. Neither of my children faced "dismal" futures and both are relatively recent high school graduates. One is a college grad, and the other is working on his degree. I "blame" their public school success on a collaborative effort between their teachers and us - their parents!! If parents aren't involved in every step of the educational process, they have no one to blame but themselves for their children's dismal futures.
You guys sound like Rhode Island Red "necks."
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YES YES YES!!!!
Posted by: Tom W at January 7, 2009 8:14 PMMy favorite is #27, but they all look fantastic!
Posted by: Will at January 7, 2009 8:21 PMThis is without a doubt the most sensible proposal that has been presented by any RI official in a very long time. I hope the legislature has the wisdom to make it happen.
Posted by: Frank at January 7, 2009 8:50 PM"I hope the legislature has the wisdom to make it happen."
I agree that it is a very well thought out proposal. I'm not counting on their collective "wisdom," since the majority of them are self-serving idiots. However, I am counting on the lack of any viable alternatives.
Posted by: Will at January 7, 2009 9:02 PMAfter reading through the governor's entire speech tonight and seeing the articles posted here, I agree this is a beginning and redefining who and what we are and that unions must no longer be allowed the freedoms they have had - Being the size of Rhode Island and the number 1 in spending in anything when we have no business to sustain such union largess is unfathomable- the giveaways and handouts must stop and those drawing pensions now must be thought of in regards to the ongoing COLA promises - no guarantees!!!
Posted by: CMTR at January 7, 2009 9:11 PMOn the one hand, these proposals seem very reasonable and responsible. On the other, when you think of what has beeen the status quo for decades in the public sector, these proposals seem revolutionary, even shocking.
Posted by: Monique at January 7, 2009 9:53 PMLet's take another look at the intellectually
Posted by: pitcher at January 8, 2009 12:01 AMvacantdishonest Pat Crowley. Yesterday, he put up a post pointing to a survey from projo.com about how "The People Support East Providence Teachers", but yet there is no mention of the latest survey, React to Governor Carcieri's plan to curb RI's budget deficit. I wonder if that is because 100% of the comments (as of this comment time) are in agreement with the Gov. Even some state workers agree! Maybe this survey just isn't scientifically significant for him.pitcher,
Thank you for bringing up that idiotic "The People Support East Providence Teachers" post by the RIF Minister of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda.
He was touting a completely non-scientific and easily manipulated online poll (I voted a few times myself, just to see if it was possible), as if it was some kind of gauge of general public opinion. The only people with an inclination to vote in something silly like that would be those with something to lose, and no real defense based in truth. I can just imagine them all desperately pressing away at the keyboard, as if their very lives depended on it.
Here's a real poll question: "Since teacher's salaries and benefits account for 1/2 of all city spending, and 87% of all school spending, should we just give the East Providence teachers everything they want, if it means that your property taxes will go up by 20%?"
I was actually embarrassed for him.
Posted by: Will at January 8, 2009 12:48 AMDammit, Pitcher and Will, did you have to let it out of the bag that the ProJo poll is highly unscientific? Next you'll be telling him about the Easter Bunny!
Isn't a man entitled to his illusions??
Posted by: Monique at January 8, 2009 7:22 AMWhat about just deporting all the illegals, and saving hundreds of millions of dollars on the cost of their free medical, housing, education and incarceration expenses instead?
Why should working people have to be deprived, so non-working illegal, non-citizen leeches can continue to feed at the trough for free?
Posted by: erik d. at January 8, 2009 12:08 PMI love the proposals too, especially after reading the article in edweek.org, Best and Worst Public Schjool Systems in the U.S.
They prepared a state by state report card...everyone that feels bad for our "work to rule", "where's my raise", "we care about the children" blah blah blah teachers should read this. Here's a sample:
K-12 achievement: D
Status: F
School Finance: A-
Spending: A-
College Readiness: D-
Teachers: D
Accountability for Quality: F
So, let's recap: The teachers themselves are a sad lot and refuse to police themselves to get better. The kids have a dismal chance at entering college after these pinheads are done "teaching" them. The only thing this group of leeches are good at it seems is spending on themselves.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. FIRE them all. With the economic outlook growing bleaker by the day. With people losing everything from their jobs, to their healthcare to their homes. How can these teachers still have the gall to come and ask not only that they not be made to pay anything towards their healthcare but ask for a pay raise that they feel they're entitled to. Let them wake up and feel what it's like to have to work and fight to keep the things that you've earned. They have no idea what real life is. Real life these days is certainly not a six hour workday with weekends, holidays and summers off and only working six months a year. Real life now is just being happy that you've even got a job. I'd like to see them suffer for a while so that they wake up and kiss my ass thanking me for what they have as a result of my hard work.
Posted by: Bill at January 9, 2009 9:32 AMI live in Texas but read the Newport weekend newspaper which doesn't always arrive in a timely manner. Must have something to do with those "pinhead" teachers.
After reading Gov. Carcieri's proposed Article 27, I became curious about how anyone can be prevented from working to the conditions of his/her contract. Wow!! What's up with all of this teacher "slamming"? Everyone knows that personnel takes a huge chunk from business budgets. Education is no exception. You have to pay for your workforce, and your teachers are highly educated employees.
I have two children who graduated from Texas public schools. That's right - Texas Public Schools. Does Houston ring a bell? If you judge our public school system by the published accountability ratings, Rhode Island schools look pretty darn good. Neither of my children faced "dismal" futures and both are relatively recent high school graduates. One is a college grad, and the other is working on his degree. I "blame" their public school success on a collaborative effort between their teachers and us - their parents!! If parents aren't involved in every step of the educational process, they have no one to blame but themselves for their children's dismal futures.
You guys sound like Rhode Island Red "necks."
Posted by: Stonermeister at January 27, 2009 11:56 PM