Read Cathy Bayer's tweets from the meeting.
ROCKFORD ? The Rockford School Board rehired three teachers tonight after a labor settlement with the Rockford Education Association. More teacher hires could be on the way, either for the current school year or the 2012-13 year.
The district and REA reached an out-of-court settlement in January to rehire 18 teachers after the union filed a complaint of an unfair labor practice.
Here?s what happened: The School Board approved the dismissal of some 573 staff members ? a mix of teachers, administrators and support staff ? in March 2010. The district dismissed first- and second-year teachers, and third- and fourth-year teachers were involved in a reduction in force, or RIF.
Those RIFd teachers were supposed to be kept on an active rehire list for 20 months from the last day of the school year and also receive notifications of job vacancies during those 20 months. REA President Karen Bieschke said those staff members in the RIF were later dismissed or fired and stripped of their recall rights.
?That?s the gist of the unfair labor practice,? she said.
The district, however, disputed the charge. But instead of going to court, the district and REA reached a settlement Jan. 6 and found a solution that?s agreeable to both sides, Bieschke said.
The settlement agreement is a legally binding document.
?Part of that agreement says there?s no fault placed on either side,? Bieschke said.
The settlement says the 18 employees the district had not rehired of the approximately 180 third- and fourth-year teachers affected should be offered their jobs back. They now have three options: start working this school year, start working in the 2012-13 school year or not participate in the settlement agreement.
A handful of teachers already have planned to return this year, Bieschke said, and the School Board approved three of those teachers tonight.
?They?re really committed to Rockford and our students,? she said.
Those employees affected must respond to the settlement by March 1, otherwise the offer expires. Employees? tenure status would restart once they return to the district, but they would return to the district at their previous place on the salary schedule, Bieschke said.
?They?re going to rehire these teachers, and there are vacancies already for them, so it should have a minimal impact,? Bieschke said.
Chief Financial Officer Cedric Lewis hasn?t yet calculated the effect these additional hires could have on the district?s budget.
?Details are still being worked out,? Lewis said in an email. ?I?ll know more when we find out how many, in fact, return.?
It?s only 18 teachers in the estimated 1,850 union membership ? a small number for the union, but when elementary schools have between 20 and 30 teachers, it could make a big difference, Bieschke said.
?It?s a small number, but it makes a big impact on those 18 people,? she said.
Reach staff writer Cathy Bayer at cbayer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1395.
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