Teachers union wins grievance; city pays out $22K

By Amanda McGregor
STAFF WRITER

August 07, 2008 05:02 am

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SALEM — Four years after filing a grievance, 40 retired Salem teachers won their case against the Salem schools.

The School Committee transferred funds this week to pay $22,100 to 40 teachers after an arbitrator's ruling that retired teachers are entitled to longevity pay.

Longevity pay is distributed each December. Until now, teachers who retired in June weren't receiving longevity checks the following December, according to Joyce Harrington, president of the Salem Teachers Union.

"It was really money due to people," said Harrington. "If you finished your 20th year in June, obviously you should get your longevity pay the following December for working 20 years."

The ruling has changed the policy for teachers who retired in 2004 and moving forward.

Patricia Hynes, a longtime, beloved social studies teacher at Salem High School, was the original filer of the grievance, but she died in 2006. Teacher Wayne Turner, who is now retired, carried on the cause, according to Harrington.

"She just knew her stuff," Harrington recalled of Hynes. "She was a great teacher and a wonderful person — and she was very knowledgeable of the teacher contract. She would just question things."

When Hynes initially filed the grievance, an agreement could not be reached between the union and the superintendent, or between the union and the School Committee, so the case went to arbitration. This spring, an arbitrator from the Massachusetts Board of Conciliation and Arbitration ruled in the teachers' favor.

"It was like a little trial," said Harrington.

Payments to teachers were deferred until now due to the school budget shortages last year, she said.

The payout will apply to 15 teachers who retired in 2004, seven teachers in 2005, seven teachers in 2006, four teachers in 2007, and seven teachers in 2008, according to School Business Manager John Danizio.