From Nashua Telegraph September 22, 2015
By TINA FORBES
Staff Writer
NASHUA - Union officials and Nashua teachers reacted Monday to the Nashua Board of Education's surprise announcement last week it would not continue a contract with union representing more than 100 custodians' at the end of the school year.
Jim Durkin, communications director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees of Council 93, which includes AFSCME units in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont, said the union had no word from the school board prior to the vote on Wednesday.
"This is a reckless decision, we had no notice. At the very least, they should have held a public meeting," Durkin said. "The respectful thing would be to reach out to us first. We understand budgetary problems, and we could have been part of the solution."
BOA President George Farrington said the vote on Sept. 16 to issue requests for proposals to private cleaning companies and end the contract between the school district and union was based solely on the district's budget, and the expectation that the city's spending cap will make it extremely difficult to negotiate with multiple union groups.
"It all has to do with the budget, and looking forward to where our needs are, and our financial commitments," Farrington said.
The only board member to vote against the motions to discontinue the contract and issue RFPs was Kim Kleiner. Board member Sandra Ziehm was not at the meeting.
Union members are not the only ones speaking out against the decision. A Change.org petition started shortly after news of the vote became public had garnered 550 signatures by Monday, including from district teachers and students.
"We urge Nashua's Board of Education to reconsider its decision to privatize its custodial services and renew its contract with AFSCME," states the petition, created by Nashua teacher Gary Hoffman.
The union's chief steward, Jason Guerette, said the union has been together for more than 30 years and had zero indication district officials were considering privatizing custodial services.
"None whatsoever," he said.
The current contract between the Nashua School Custodian Unit runs through June 30, but Farrington said the district is required to give the custodians 120-day notice and has to have time to review potential offers from private companies.
"The way this whole thing works, we can't outsource work while there's a contract in place, and you can't outsource work once negotiations have begun," he said, adding the board honored the existing contract and did not enter negotiations with the union since they could not issue a RFP for a new vendor at the same time.
The union contract requires 120 calendar days of notice before ending the agreement, which this vote does. However the union wanted more communication.
"There's a difference between what they're required to do and what they should do," said Durkin. "They should have taken the time to discuss it with us."
Durkin said he's seen other school districts privatize janitorial services and that private companies can bring issues of their own to local schools.
"When you take trusted school custodians who are part of the fiber of the school community and replace them with a cleaning crew, what you get is a revolving pool of strangers," said Durkin, who cited a similar situation in Chelmsford, Mass.
After the Chelmsford School District replaced unionized custodians in 2011 with private workers, there were four arrests, three relating to theft of school equipment and student belongings, and one relating to failure to appear in court, he said.
Donna Grady, a district custodian and chairman of the Nashua School Custodian chapter, said the safety of students and staff will be impacted by the school board's decision.
"The health and safety of the staff, students and public that enter our schools on a daily basis will be negatively affected by the actions of the (Board of Education)," she said in a statement Monday.
Farrington submitted his own statement to The Telegraph on Monday (see page 9) and said while there are issues to consider under the new plan to outsource the work, there are also examples of similar plans being successful and significant saving to the district.
"While I will acknowledge there are instances where schools have had issues with outsourcing, there are also instances where schools have successfully implemented the change and realized substantial savings that could be used to address student needs," Farrington wrote. "Indications are that by outsourcing, we can realize those same substantial savings on our operating budget that can used to improve the educational opportunities for our students. There is nothing about our motions that commits us to any final course of action."
Bob Sherman, president of the Nashua Teachers Union, said Monday that his union hasn't met since the Sept. 16 vote and did not have a formal statement.
"Obviously, it is a concern to the membership," said Sherman.
The next Nashua School Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. at Nashua High School North.
Tina Forbes can be reached at 594-6402, via email or on Twitter.