Happy New Year to you all and regular blogging is back for 2010. The Race to the Top grant application requires local districts to sign on through a Memorandum of Understanding to be eligible for the money and that includes participation by the local union. NEARI has been working with the AFT to be sure that the MOU is written so member rights and collective bargaining are protected. We have submitted those to the Rhode Island Department of Education and while some changes have been made, we are still not confident enough in the document to recommend it to our locals. RIDE is also looking for letters of support for the grant application from both state unions. To date we have not agreed. State President Larry Purtill and Executive Director Bob Walsh have had meetings with the commissioner and both the Governor and Regents chair Robert Flanders concerning the grant. Tonight Purtill will be holding a conference call with NEARI's local presidents, officers and staff.
Purtill has said all along that he will work with RIDE in moving forward but will not agree to any documents that will or could alter collective bargaining. The commissioner has set this Friday as the deadline for the MOU's.