Merrick Academy workers get boot via FedEx amid contract dispute between school, union

[proud2BlibKansan]

A scandal-plagued Queens charter school fired at least nine teachers Tuesday - via FedEx, union officials said.

Some of the Merrick Academy staffers who got the boot are chalking it up to a bitter contract dispute between the school and unionized teachers.

"If the board of the Merrick charter school is firing teachers because of union activity, then we're going to take all legal action against them," said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.

Teachers at the Queens Village school voted to unionize in 2008 but they haven't reached a contract with the school's board.

Gerald Karikari, chairman of Merrick's Board of Trustees, would not say how many teachers were fired and denied the layoffs were retaliatory. "At the end of the year, every teacher is evaluated on the way they performed," he said.

More ... http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/07/21/2010-07-21_disunion_as_9_teachers_fired.html

[jody]

1. New York City union represents public & charter teachers. Will public school teachers work in

harmony with charter school teachers or will public school teachers bitterly oppose charter schools as I've noted in many DU posts?

[Catshrink]

2. Bitterly oppose and with good reason.

[jody]

3. If you are correct, how can public and charter teachers cooperate in a union? n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. That's a good question

I would expect teachers to oppose charters as long as they dishonor our profession. But perhaps union representation can change charters so teachers who work in them can earn decent salaries and have better working conditions.

[jody]

5. Understand charters "dishonor our profession" Do you feel the same about private tutoring agencies?

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Are they funded with tax dollars?