Unions at It Again: D.C. Being Made to Hire Back Fired Teachers

[Rheo]

The Foundry:

“Will the unions help keep poor teachers from returning to the classroom?” asked Saturday’s Washington Post, reminding us that union intransigience stretches from Madison,WI to Washington, D.C.

An independent arbitrator recently ruled that D.C. Public Schools will be required to hire back 75 teachers fired during Michelle Rhee’s tenure. On top of this, D.C. will also be required to pay two years in back wages, costing the city approximately $7.5 million.

Although the dismissed teachers were still in their probationary period, arbitrator Charles Feigenbaum claims that they were improperly let go because the district failed to comply with proper dismissal procedures.

As Feigenbaum noted in his ruling, according to the school district’s union agreement, if a probationary teacher receives negative reviews after both years of his or her trial period, the school district can dismiss that teacher. While the 75 dismissed teachers received negative reviews during their first year, and principal reports from the second year indicate poor performance–tardiness, unprofessional behavior, “rude and aggressive” demeanor, and so forth–because the teachers did not receive sufficient written explanations for their tardiness, D.C. Public Schools are being faulted.

D.C.’s situation is a prime example of the struggles leaders face today–as a result of collective bargaining agreements and entrenched policies– that make it nearly impossible to ensure the quality of teachers in their schools. This is not only bad for students, but it also makes it difficult for other teachers. Said Rhee:

[NCJim]

I work in Management in a union work place....the average worker gets paid between $20 and $25 per hour..depending if seniority..some are good workers most are slackers..there is no incentive raises only union contract raises...did I tell you how much I hate unions....the slackers know the union rules and take full if not abusive use of them. Last week I had a situation where in any none union work place the worker would have been fired on the spot..I could only give a letter of warning and the union steward reduced that to an "official discussion" I wanted removal or at least suspension w/o pay...

[Saltbag]

Been there, too, NC. It's easier to have someone killed than fire someone from a union factory, no matter how bad of a slacker they are. I've written before about how the two union places I worked have shut down. Wages too high, and too much waste couldn't compete in a global market.

[Valin]

I work in Management in a union work place....the average worker gets paid between $20 and $25 per hour..depending if seniority..some are good workers most are slackers.

 

Over the years I've worked in non union shops and have found the same is true there. Speaking personally I view this as a good thing...for me. I've taken a number of aptitude tests and they have all said the same thing, I have no business being within 2 miles of anything mechanical. very little mechanical aptitude, yet management loves me because I A. show up on time and B. make a half assed effort, that's all it takes. Unions really have nothing to do with it.

[SrWoodchuck]

In the mid-70's I worked as a "fireman" for a brick plant. "Fireman" in the sense that I was in charge of 4 tunnel kilns [one preheat to 500 degrees & three finish kilns that began at 500 & went to 2,200 degrees & then cooled the bricks down.] Everything was moved by tractors, on narrow gauge rail-track. I was the lead man & responsible for 2 other assistant firemen, all the "pushes" [when bricks went into & from the preheat...to the finish kilns] placement of the fired bricks in a proper location for further cooling & sorting queues, logging the manometers for each kiln & making adjustments to the various valves, exhaust/heat flues & cooling fans; as recorded in the time log. I was at the top of my scale at $7.90 an hour & received an extra 45 cents an hour for being on the relief crew; which had a different schedule each week [2 days/ 2 swings / 2 graves/ 3 days off- or a variation of that] My assistant firemen made $5.75 an hour, as a top wage. Union dues were $5.00 a week and I got the impression that it was run by the company. Brick sorters were almost always illegals; as they were the only people that wanted that job. It turns out that the plant I worked in was a "Superfund Clean-up Site" if anybody remembers that term. It was the city of Denver's old radium dump [think glow in the dark watch numerals & military apps.] I could cut myself on Monday, and it would be mostly healed by the end of the week, Ha! So much for union protection & pay.

[NCJim]

I work in Management in a union work place....the average worker gets paid between $20 and $25 per hour..depending if seniority..some are good workers most are slackers.

 

Over the years I've worked in non union shops and have found the same is true there. Speaking personally I view this as a good thing...for me. I've taken a number of aptitude tests and they have all said the same thing, I have no business being within 2 miles of anything mechanical. very little mechanical aptitude, yet management loves me because I A. show up on time and B. make a half assed effort, that's all it takes. Unions really have nothing to do with it.

you know that is all I ask... show up on time and do your job to the best of your ability..

you need to read the rest of what I wrote.....".the slackers know the union rules and take full if not abusive use of them."..Unions have everything t do with it..cause if not the slakers would be looking for another job...

[Valin]

I work in Management in a union work place....the average worker gets paid between $20 and $25 per hour..depending if seniority..some are good workers most are slackers.

 

Over the years I've worked in non union shops and have found the same is true there. Speaking personally I view this as a good thing...for me. I've taken a number of aptitude tests and they have all said the same thing, I have no business being within 2 miles of anything mechanical. very little mechanical aptitude, yet management loves me because I A. show up on time and B. make a half assed effort, that's all it takes. Unions really have nothing to do with it.

you know that is all I ask... show up on time and do your job to the best of your ability..

you need to read the rest of what I wrote.....".the slackers know the union rules and take full if not abusive use of them."..Unions have everything t do with it..cause if not the slakers would be looking for another job...

 

 

I did, and one of the things I've found is it is really really hard to get fired weather you are in a union or non union shop. I've had to work with slackers, and when asked have told my boss FIRE HIM...He's no good, he's a cancer.

 

I was fired from my last job and was asked to come back (they were afraid of a law suit had something to do with it, that and I could make everything the plant made (Chemical plant)).

 

I have really very little use for unions as I don't think I need to pay someone for my job. BUT there is such a thing as laying to much blame on unions.

[SrWoodchuck]

The union model in retail grocery UFCW Local #7, is one of confrontation & polarization of workers & store management. There is a deep seated hatred between the two groups that has resulted in everyone loosing.

 

40 hour-and-out attitudes are much the norm for workers, who roll along & file grievances for bad behavior, at every instance & for things that should be firing offences in a lot of cases.

 

Store owners & management have chipped away with each hotly contested new contract, until there are multiple tiered layers of union employment & benefits.

 

At one point in the late 70's the union actually buckled & gave back $ 1.80 an hour. [Ten years to get that back] During the 2008 elections, the union's strike fund was gutted by union leaders in massive contributions to only Democratic candidates [$ 17 million for Obama alone.] Right after the elections, the stores insisted on bargaining.......during the winter......and without any strike funds. At the same time, the union president was hounded from office, taking up to 13 family members with him & looting the union for new vehicles, stolen computers & other nefarious acts.

 

The stores now try anything to remove a veteran and their package of pay & benefits.......preferring to use two or three part-time employees hired under the new tier, for one third the pay & little or no benefits. The result is a bunch of uncommitted part-time younger people that don't give a rat's patoot what anyone thinks or does......as the job isn't that great to begin with....you need another job, just to make ends meet.

 

When the face of your company is a 20 year-old that never makes it in, the day after payday & hides for most of their shift to avoid work........it's amazing that retail grocery isn't in worse shape.

 

The fact is, that Congress saw fit to make corn a fuel, and continues to allow Obama to make fuel an extravagance. Food will soon become very expensive.....the stores will still make money hand over fist......and be entirely staffed by part time people that could care less. Unions once protected workers. Now they protect union leaders, and store management.

[Valin]

The union model in retail grocery UFCW Local #7, is one of confrontation & polarization of workers & store management. There is a deep seated hatred between the two groups that has resulted in everyone loosing.

 

No real disagreeent.

 

40 hour-and-out attitudes are much the norm for workers, who roll along & file grievances for bad behavior, at every instance & for things that should be firing offences in a lot of cases.

 

During the 2008 elections, the union's strike fund was gutted by union leaders in massive contributions to only Democratic candidates [$ 17 million for Obama alone.]

 

Here we see a real problem, the fact that today unions are a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat party....and it appears to me it mattes not what the members want.

[NCJim]

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