Archived News Item

Union

Berkeley High teachers are deciding this week if they are going to do a work-to-rule protest in order to convince the district to give them contracts. A work-a-rule protest would mean that teachers would only work during time that they are being paid for. They would do their grades during class and their prep period. They would not come to school early to work or leave late. Lunch times would be spent eating lunch and not grading papers or helping students.

The contract—which these teachers are trying to get—would include cost-of-living raises for the BHS teachers, who have not had raises in several years.

Reactions from teachers to the idea of a work-to-rule protest are mixed. Teacher Donatella Carta said, “It’s not an effective way of putting pressure on the district. I think it’s damaging to the kids and the teachers.”

Teacher George Palen, however, said, “If the union has a legitimate claim, then work-to-rule is an effective way to show the community that teachers need to be taken seriously.”

— Harris