Board of Education member Jack Chiaramonte says he wants people in Norwalk to know he is not happy with the school districts unions. They have given us nothing, says Chiaramonte who heads the committee that negotiates contracts with them.
In recent weeks, the Norwalk Federation of Education Personnel has been outspoken in its criticism of the BOE. The NFEP, which represents 425 aides, clerks, secretarial and support staff, says it has been without a contract since July 2009 and has not received the salary increase and benefits it deserves." Since the BOE and NEFP have been unable to come to agreement on the terms of their contracts, the two parties have entered into arbitration. In arbitration, an independent body will now decide the outcome by the end of the summer.
Chiaramonte, however, sees matters differently. He suggests the unions need to pay attention to what is going on in this country. People are losing their homes. Things are still bad out there. Ive seen my business tumble, says Chiaramonte who owns a restaurant in South Norwalk. Instead of everybody coming together and giving a little, we have the unions who dictate what they want.
We cant afford what they want, says Chiaramonte who disagrees with Donna Riddell, the NFEP president's characterization of the negotiation process as demeaning and unfair. It's nonsense. We couldnt come to an agreement. That is why we have gone into arbitration. That is the way to get a fair result.
He is not singling out the NFEP, but includes the teachers and administrators union in his admonition. He says that all the unions stand together. They come to us and say we will not giveback until you do XYZ. Their package has strings attached.
The unions, including the NFEP, say they are being treated unfairly, in part, because two top administrators, Faye Ruotolo, director of Human Resources and Tony Daddona, Assistant Superintendent recently received three percent raises in the form of furlough days. Chiaramonte responds, At least they gave us the furlough days. What did the unions give back? They gave us nothing-- a big goose egg.
The BOE can only afford so much. The taxpayers can only afford so much, concludes Chiaramonte. Otherwise, its the children who end up losing.
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