DC's Laid Off Teachers Request Financial Assistance From Washington Teachers' Union
The letter below was presented to Washington Teachers' Union President, George Parker on November 30, 2009 by wrongfully terminated/laid-off teachers in a meeting held to discuss their right to appeal under OEA. This letter was also sent to all WTU Executive Board members, WTU Board of Trustee members, Randi Weingarten, AFT President and AFT staff via email. These teachers have requested that their letter be forwarded to the WTU membership.
This letter represents a request for the WTU to provide financial assistance for appeals to the wrongfully terminated teachers due to what they describe as poor legal representation by Washington Teachers' Union lawyers.
Request for WTU Financial Assistance; Presented to President George Parker,et. al on November 30, 2009
Date: November 30, 2009, Monday
To: Mr. George Parker, President of Washington Teacher’s Union, WTU
Executive Board, WTU Building Representatives, Entire WTU Union
Membership, et al., President Randi Weingarten, AFL-CIO, et al.
From: Wrongfully Terminated District of Columbia Public Schools Stakeholders
We the former District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) employees, former full dues paying union members, and unlawfully separated stakeholders, hereby publicly announce on this day November 30, 2009, and present to the Washington Teacher’s Union (WTU) Local #6, AFL-CIO President George Parker, its WTU Executive Board members, and the entire WTU membership that we are very dissatisfied and concerned regarding the failure of the Washington Teacher’s Union (WTU) legal counsel to effectively argue the illegal Reduction in Force (RIF) and wrongful terminations announced on October 2, 2009.
We believe as witnesses in Judge Bartnoff’s courtroom on November 5th the WTU legal representative et al. performed poorly in arguing that “the RIF was not a RIF, but rather a pretext for mass discharge” and provided no evidence that the DCPS budget could support the entire teaching staff of 2009-2010 (including new teachers, existing teachers, excessed teachers, teachers placed in co-teaching positions, and teachers placed in areas of non-certification.)
We are very disappointed with the November 24 ruling denying the Washington Teacher’s Union Local (WTU) Local #6, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO Motion for A Preliminary Hearing (PI) and A Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).
The plaintiffs WTU attorneys' failed to challenge any unlawful Reduction In Force (RIF) decision and the procedures and process used to implement the alleged RIF.
The WTU plaintiffs attorneys did not present any substantive challenge to the DCPS (defendant’s) testimony or to Rhee’s declaration with regard to the school budget.
In addition, no evidence was presented to the contrary that DCPS teacher staffing needs were included in the June 2 initial budget proposal.
We are encouraging Washington Teacher’s Union AFL-CIO to grant us continued legal support since we have been grossly misrepresented and to provide financial assistance (minimum of $250,000) for appeals with a competent law firm of our choosing. We would like a written response by December 11, 2009.
Crystal Proctor, spokesperson
Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence
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