CWAers Take Stand for Fired Rhode Island Teachers

CWA is standing with teachers and education staff at Rhode Island's Central Falls High School as they fight to get back to the negotiating table and after being fired last month.

The Central Falls school trustees fired the 93 education professionals on Feb. 23. The Central Falls Teachers Union, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, and the school superintendent had been negotiating over strategies to improve the school; the superintendent walked away from those talks and fired the entire staff, effective at the end of this school year.  

Just last week, Superintendent Gallo agreed to resume negotiations with the union but now is delaying those talks. The AFT local is calling on Gallo to end the delay, resume negotiations and accept the offer by the state education commissioner for impartial mediation.

The labor movement has condemned the firings and union members and supporters are standing with the Central Falls teachers by signing the petition at www.centralfallskidsdeservebetter.com.

Kerry Kohring, a member of TNG-CWA Local 31041, whose wife is a teacher at Central Falls Elementary School, raised the issue at the CWA District 1 meeting last week. Kohring said the high school teachers have been sacrificed for management's "political agenda." The school district's action "destroys the professional reputations of highly dedicated union teachers who are supported by the students and parents of the community," he told CWA District 1 members.

The union committed to a reform plan "that will put Central Falls High School on a pathway to excellence." Central Falls is Rhode Island's smallest and poorest city.