City school employees protest transportation contract change

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

The contract will be discussed at a committee meeting today.

YOUNGSTOWN — District employees concerned about changes in their jobs and possible cuts in other positions attended a school board meeting this week intent on showing board members how they feel.

The school board’s business committee, in charge of preparing a special-education transportation contract for the entire board to review, meets at 3:30 p.m. today , but members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees were not waiting for that meeting.

AFSCME members have been concerned that possible changes in transportation and food services in the contract could affect their jobs. Dozens of AFSCME members filled the board’s meeting chambers Tuesday wearing green shirts with the union logo stenciled on the front.

Several people spoke to the board on behalf of the employees.

Bill Padisak, president of the Mahoning and Trumbull AFL-CIO, said many believe the board is planning to outsource some management positions under the new contract. He said such a move will ultimately mean the outsourcing of busing altogether — something he feels will cost the district more money.

Padisak provided board members a study showing increases in costs when busing services in school districts are outsourced.

JoAnn Johntony, state president of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, told board members that outsourcing or eliminating any jobs would be a bad idea with plans to pass a levy in the near future.

“You can’t afford to even look at an issue like this when you are trying to pass a levy. You need the people in this room. You need the heart of your community,” she said.

Jack Filak, AFSCME regional director, said he is confused as to why there is any talk of outsourcing at all because AFSCME members do an outstanding job, save the district money and are willing to work toward the passage of any future levies.

“There seems to be no point in doing this,” he said of the possible changes. “If you are seriously considering doing this, I think we will feel like there is a knife in our backs.”

The board did not make any decisions concerning the contract at the meeting, but it did pass new rules concerning cell phone use by pupils in the upcoming school year.

“We made changes to our cellular telephone policy because this is an area of technology that kids sometimes use incorrectly,” said Superintendent Wendy Webb. “We are very serious about this policy being followed.”

High school and middle school pupils must leave all cell phones in their lockers. In schools where there are no lockers, cell phones must be turned off during the day and cannot be visible on pupils.

The new rules also say pupils cannot have music devices such as iPods, MP3 players or CD players in school unless they are being used for educational purposes.

The first time a pupil is caught with a cell phone in school, the phone will be taken and held until picked up by a parent. The second time a pupil is caught with the phone, it will be taken and held until the end of the school year.

jgoodwin@vindy.com