TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - While a tentative contract agreement has been reached in Traverse City Area Public Schools, the teachers union president says he has been reassigned in retribution for speaking out about contract issues, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.
John Scrudato, president of the Traverse City Education Association, will teach middle school reading in the coming year rather than continue as a classroom composition facilitator, the Record-Eagle reported.
He attributed the switch to his public criticism of district administrators, but Christine Davis, executive director of human resources for the district, disputed that claim, according to the Record-Eagle. Davis said she could not comment further on individual personnel changes.
Davis called Scrudato "a wonderful union president," the Record-Eagle reported, but Scrudato said, "It's like they're setting an example of me."
In related news, the district and teachers union this week reached tentative agreement on a new contract after two years of negotiations, according to the Record-Eagle. No details were released pending ratification votes.
"We both accepted the mediator's recommendation," Scrudato told the Record-Eagle.
SOURCES:
Traverse City Record-Eagle, "Teachers, TCAPS have tentative contract," Aug. 27, 2009
Traverse City Record-Eagle, "Union leader reassigned, alleges backlash," Aug. 27, 2009
FURTHER READING:
Mackinac Center for Public Policy, "A Collective Bargaining Primer," Feb. 28, 2007
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