Employee Relations Program Enters Next Phase;
Diocese Addresses Parents
 

The Diocese of Scranton’s Employee Relations Program for its Catholic schools will enter its next phase with a meeting on March 13 for employee representatives in the Holy Redeemer and Holy Cross regional school systems. Meetings for the St. John Neumann and Notre Dame systems are being scheduled.

Next Thursday’s gathering will seek input from the employees on wages, benefits and grievance procedures. The goal is to reach a consensus on the issues that will be given priority for future discussions.

The Employee Relations Program covers teachers as well as support staff such as aides, administrators, office staff, cafeteria staff and maintenance personnel. The program involves the formation of Employee Councils, Wage and Benefit Committees, Health Care Sub-Committees and Grievance Committees for each of the four regional school systems that were established last year in the restructuring of Diocesan Catholic schools.

This program is the format for regular dialogue between the Diocese and school employees, and it is the means chosen by Bishop Martino to communicate with his teachers and to ensure their fair treatment.

The Bishop has made it very clear that the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) will not be recognized as a bargaining agent for teachers. This decision is final, and thus the implementation of the Employee Relations Program continues.

Meanwhile, the leadership of SDACT and some teachers have criticized this plan and have insisted that their association is the only means to guarantee fair treatment for teachers. Despite the fact that the decision is final, SDACT’s leaders have continued to oppose it and have publicly stated that they will use various tactics, including the disruption of the educational process.

On the afternoon of Feb. 27, a majority of the teachers at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre called in sick, forcing the principal to cancel classes for the following day because of inadequate supervision of the students.

The Diocese issued a statement explaining that: “Under any circumstances, the principal must determine on a daily basis whether staffing is adequate to conduct classes and maintain a safe environment for the students. Inadequate staffing or other types of significant disruption will result in the cancellation of classes for that day.”

Last Friday, Feb. 28, members of SDACT picketed before school opened at Holy Redeemer, Holy Cross High School (Scranton campus) and St. John Neumann Regional Academy High School campus in Williamsport.

Later that morning, approximately 200 students (about 25 percent of the student body) at Holy Redeemer walked out of the building without permission in support of SDACT. The students staged a brief, orderly demonstration and returned to the building.

The students and their parents had been notified in advance that while students had the freedom to express their support, if they took such action during school hours it would result in disciplinary consequences. The students who participated in this demonstration have been informed that they must attend a 2 ½ hour detention period this Saturday, March 8. They will be given a writing assignment to complete during this period.

In another statement, the Diocese stressed that “the Catholic education of the students in a safe, secure environment is of primary importance to the administration, teachers and staff of Diocesan Catholic schools.”

In the wake of these incidents and the potential for similar occurrences in the future, the system directors and principals of the Holy Redeemer, Holy Cross, and St. John Neumann systems have sent a letter to parents. The letter, which is printed below, addresses the implications of such tactics.

“It is important to note that the Diocese and the school administration are not responsible for interrupting your child’s education,” the letter says. “When this occurs, it is the direct consequence of teachers and/or staff voluntarily vacating their positions. When employees fail to report to work, no school can operate. If teacher actions require the closure of the school, we will make every effort to notify you in advance.

“Let us hope that in the weeks and months ahead we can all focus on our mission of providing a quality Catholic education to the children entrusted to our care.”
 

LETTER TO PARENTS REGARDING PERSONNEL IN CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
AND SDACT ACTIVITIES 

The system directors and principals of the Holy Redeemer, Holy Cross, and St. John Neumann systems have sent the following letter to parents. 

Dear Parents,

We write to you to keep you as informed as possible concerning the operation of __________ School.

 Bishop Martino has told all of us of his solemn obligation to protect the Catholic identity of our school, and to ensure that a quality education is provided to our students in a safe, healthy environment. All of us – administrators, teachers, support staff, students and parents – share that responsibility.

In our role as Catholic educators, each of us is committed to demonstrate dignity, respect and fair treatment of all, especially our Diocesan employees. However, this commitment must be balanced as we struggle to make Catholic education affordable for families and parishes. If personnel practices result in a tuition increase that prevents parents from enrolling their children in our Catholic schools, then the very mission of Catholic education is in jeopardy.

After evaluating all of these considerations, Bishop Martino has determined that the best course of action for the future stability of our new school systems is the implementation of an Employee Relations Program that includes not only teachers, but also support staff such as aides, administrators, office staff, cafeteria staff and maintenance personnel. The program involves the formation of Employee Councils, Wage and Benefit Committees, Health Care Sub-Committees and Grievance Committees for each of the four regional school systems that were established last year in the restructuring of Diocesan Catholic schools. These groups, which are comprised of teacher and support staff selected by the employees themselves, will represent each school, and they will meet on a regular basis with members of the Regional System Boards, officials from the Diocesan Catholic Schools Office and the Diocesan human resources director to discuss wages, benefits, and grievances.

The Bishop has made it very clear that the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers (SDACT) will not be recognized as a bargaining agent for teachers. This decision is final, and the implementation of the Employee Relations Program has begun.

As you know, the leadership of SDACT and some teachers have criticized this plan and have insisted that their association is the only means to guarantee fair treatment for teachers. Despite the fact that the decision is final, SDACT’s leaders have continued to oppose it and have publicly stated that they will use various tactics, including the disruption of the educational process.

Accordingly, please understand the implications of such tactics. Under any circumstances, every principal must determine on a daily basis whether staffing is adequate to conduct classes and maintain a safe environment for all students. Inadequate staffing or other types of significant disruption will result in the suspension of classes.

The freedom of students to express support for their teachers is not prohibited.
Such freedom, however, must not be exercised during school hours because it might endanger student safety and will certainly disrupt the required good order of the school. The Catholic education of the students in a safe, secure environment is of primary importance to the administration, teachers and staff of the school.

Therefore, student support is to take place before or after school hours or on the weekend. Disciplinary action will follow if a student leaves either class or the school building during school hours without permission.

It is important to note that the Diocese and the school administration are not responsible for interrupting your child’s education. When this occurs, it is the direct consequence of teachers and/or staff voluntarily vacating their positions. When employees fail to report to work, no school can operate. If teacher actions require the closure of the school, we will make every effort to notify you in advance.

Let us hope that in the weeks and months ahead we can all focus on our mission of providing a quality Catholic education to the children entrusted to our care.

We appreciate your continued prayers, cooperation and support.