From NJ.com:
Jersey City's 3,100 public-school teachers appear ready to walk off the job Friday morning after no deal was reached Thursday night to end an eight-month contract dispute.
The nine-member school board adjourned its meeting at 12:30 a.m. on Friday without coming to an agreement with the Jersey City Education Association on a new contract.
Ron Greco, the union president, said Wednesday that if a contract was not approved tonight then "game over."
Teachers received notice at about 10:30 p.m. Thursday saying to prepare to strike Friday morning, sources told The Jersey Journal. About an hour later, school officials sent an automated call to parents saying there will be a half-day on Friday because teachers will strike.
Teachers have worked under an expired contract since Sept. 1 and are demanding lower health care costs.
From the Jersey City Public Schools Website:
Dear JCPS Families,
We know that you may have been bombarded with rumors of a strike by the members of the JCEA, and you are understandably concerned. We are continuing to negotiate with the JCEA leadership, and it is our hope that we will be able to reach an agreement shortly, without any disruption to your child’s education. We are taking Mr. Greco at his word that he does not want to strike.
Obviously, should there be a job action, we will need to make provisions to ensure the safety of your children. That will be our paramount concern. To that end, while schools will be open, it will be necessary to have an 8:30 to 12:45 schedule for all students. We will not have Morning Stars, CASPER or other before or after school activities. We will still provide breakfast and lunch.
Despite what may you may hear, the Board does value our teachers and we appreciate the work they do each and every day. JCPS is fortunate to have thousands of dedicated staff in every position throughout the entire city. I also want you to know that our negotiating team has been working tirelessly to find ways to address teacher concerns while ensuring that we can maintain the quality of our programs. I know the Board is committed to responsibly acting in the best interests of the 4,000 employees, the taxpayers of Jersey City, and most importantly, the children of our schools.
Dr. Marcia V. Lyles
Superintendent
Jersey City Public Schools
I believe that is the same Marcia Lyles who used to be one of Joel Klein's deputies here in NYC.
32 comments:
They're on strike. Scabs trying to cross the picket line in Jersey City - teachers won't let them in the school:
https://twitter.com/perdidostschool/status/974607928408838144
Meanwhile here in NYC we go many years without a contract while being abused with Danielson hit squads.
Marcia Lyles I believe was District 16 Supt and when they formed regions out of 4 districts - 13, 14, 15, 16 in Bklyn, Farina who had been Dist 15 Supt had Marcia Lyles as her deputy and when Farina moved up to Kleinworld, Lyles may have taken over.
The fact they opened the schools at all shows that the JC gov't sees the schools as babysitting services and not as educational institutions. Recall that in WV the schools were closed when the teachers went on strike.
Good luck to them!
West Virgina could probaby not afford to hire thousands of subs to cover the classes.
Marcia Lyles has been a thorn in the side of many as she’s climbed her own ladder for power and $.
Jersey City wants teachers to pay $14,000 in Health Insurance premiums! Wow!
Good luck JC and thank you!
maybe one day NYC teachers will have the fortitude to do what others have done.
NYC DOE are very good at taking abuse and complaining about the absurdity of the system in which we work. Next steps are needed to improve our working conditions.
UFT will not strike because they are in bed with DOE. Just studying the behavior of this union over the past decade, any thinking person can see how obvious this is. And that same clear thinking UFT member will soon become a FORMER UFT member because of the charade that's being played at our expense.
My principal made the staff take a picture holding up the black power sign. I think this is highly inappropriate. When do we take the pic with white power sign? If it was the opposite, everyone would cry racial oppression. Well, I feel violated as a white person.
Did he hold the staff at gunpoint? How did he "make you"?
Stand up for yourself 12:45 pm. You can report principal for making you do political things. He will probably deny it is forced but if any retaliation follows, you have an excellent basis for a complaint.
Yo! Fuck that. I would have walked out of that meeting quicker than shit out of a goose.
Pic is on the school website. The amazing part, like sheep, everyone did it, including the student teachers.
Mulgrew probably negotiating the same deal for us with DeBlasio.
Of course they did, if they refused they would have been labeled a White racist and Trump supporter.
And the admins would be in your classroom the next morning. Call the uft for help is a joke James. Stop giving members bad advice. The correct advice in this environment is to smile and do whatever they tell you. It’s the only way to survive.
Sad. Im quitting in June. 38 years old.
Dr.Lyles was a deputy superintendent at Basis when I worked there. One of those administrators who will never find fault with students but, will have no trouble ruining a teachers career. That local better watch tbeir front and back with this phony of an educator.
Not in my world 8:16. I would rather go down swinging than taking all kinds of garbage.
Annonymously report it to the NYPost. They love to help Trump supporters in their aggrieved delusions. If they don’t publish the story, one of Murdoch’s affiliates will. Where can we find a photo of this?
We all don’t teach in your world. You have no idea what’s going on in the trenches of most schools. Keep your head down and smile is a prudent strategy which many teachers should follow if they want to be left alone. It’s sad but all so true.
We could have smiled and said yes sir at Jamaica but we chose to fight on and it cost us our school. We certainly went down fighting and I then landed on my feet thankfully as did most of us who were exiled from our great school. Once you sit back and take it, the abuse will only get worse. I understand your view but nothing improves if people continue to hide and take it.
Yeah yeah yeah Jamaica Jamaica! Blah blah
I’ve seen lots of ATRs from Jamaica over the yrs as well as August Martin and the other big schools.
bila
Just another abusive principal, nothing to see here uft...
Anonymous 8:16 Take the abuse with a smile if it makes you feel better. I agree with James and would rather go down swinging. We battled abusive AP in my school. We demanded that the UFT back us up. They did. It was exhausting but we prevailed. It can be done.
Roseanne McCosh
The environment has gotten substantial worse since your Jamaica days not so long ago. We are alone out here and the admins know it and can use the new evaluation system to do whatever they want. Yeah you fought back but the admins have been trained to pick off one teacher at a time and use the observation system as cover. The best strategy is to bunker down and keep your head low to avoid incoming ordnance
I am still in the system 8:09. I get your point. People very close to me have been attacked and have been cleared. It is very difficult but can be done. On the other hand, I understand how you feel. Unfortunately, we as teachers get nowhere if everyone takes your position.
That’s why we need the old observation system back. It would neuter vindictive, abusive administration. UFT needs to make it a priority in the next contract.
Post a Comment