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NORTH KINGSTOWN — Rhode Island law states that once a teacher’s contract is expired, it’s no longer in effect. But a bill, S0713, introduced in February by Senators Rhoda Perry, Charles Levesque, Michael McCaffrey, Josh Miller and Susan Sosnowski, would let the old contracts remain in effect until a new agreement is reached.
The bill comes on the heels of the East Providence school district dispute over the teachers’ contracts. The bill passed 32-2 in the Senate on June 11 and has moved to the House with hopes of an action by July 2.
In a letter dated June 21, North Kingstown School Committee Chairman Larry Ceresi urged Rep. Kenneth Carter and Larry Ehrhardt to defeat the pending legislation.
“If passed, this bill would impede a School Committee’s ability to serve in a fiscally prudent manner and in the best interest of the taxpayers of their community,” Ceresi wrote.
Ceresi’s letter states the legislation “tips the scales” of the collective bargaining process in favor of one side and removes any incentive for negotiation and settlement.
“I’m urging Reps. Carter and Ehrhardt to vote against the bill and residents to do the same by contacting their state representatives. The question we should all be asking ourselves is how will this legislation help or protect the average taxpayer?” he said.
Ehrhardt has been opposed to the bill since it first “saw the light of day” and feels it’s an “outrageous intrusion” by the General Assembly into the business of local labor negotiations.
“I was surprised it passed in the Senate but I think it’ll be a dead issue on the House side,” Ehrhardt said.
The session needs to adjourn by July 1 and according to Ehrhardt, when it comes down the final days and hours, things tend to get piled up and all deadlines and rules get thrown out the door.
“We’re hoping to have this bill heard within the next few days and decided upon by next Tuesday,” he said.
Senators Michael Lenihan and James Sheehan both voted for the bill. Calls to both senators for comment were not immediately returned.
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