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August 27, 2008
GALLIVAN: AFT UNION LEADERSHIP REFUSES TO ENDORSE A NEW CONTRACT OFFER TOTALING MORE THAN $25 MILLION DOLLARS Mediation talks between the Virgin Islands Government and the American Federation of Teachers union towards a new contract for public school teachers broke down around 3 a.m. this morning. According to Chief Labor Negotiator Jessica Gallivan, the mediation effort stalled after the AFT leadership refused to sign a tentative agreement on a contract proposal offered by the Government which totaled more than $25 million dollars. The latest contract offer represents approximately five million dollars more than that which was originally offered on a four-year contract and rejected by the union last month. Gallivan said she was at a loss to describe why the union leadership refused to endorse a proposal which it had previously said it would accept and one which it brought to the table. “Talks broke down this morning when the union opted not to sign a tentative agreement, effectively rejecting a pay proposal which was offered to the AFT but rejected by the union membership.” Gallivan said the union demanded a pay proposal which exceeded $25 million dollars noting that the government had already conceded the total and was preparing to have the union take the latest offer to its membership when President of the St. Croix AFT Local 1826 Tyrone Molyneaux rejected the offer. Molyneaux is serving as the union’s chief negotiator. The government’s latest offer was in excess of the $20.8 million dollars which was rejected by the union membership in July. Gallivan said this morning that the two sides are apart on the issue of the number of professional days that the government expects will be part of the salary package. She said the next step in the process is for the federal mediator to notify the Public Employees Relations Board that despite the effort to reach agreement, both sides have failed to do so. The PERB is expected to order the parties to impasse arbitration. “To witness such a breakdown is extremely disappointing given that progress had been made in reaching agreement on other issues.” Gallivan said. She reiterated that the union rejected a $25 million dollar contract offer, an offer that the union had itself proposed. The Government’s representatives including: Gallivan, Education Commissioner Dr. La Verne Terry and Assistant Education Commissioner Donna Frett-Gregory began entered mediation proceedings with the AFT on Monday. |
