The state Department of Labor Relations has dismissed complaints filed against the school committee by the Falmouth Educators Association. The school committee received the documentation on Monday, July 19.
In November last year, the FEA filed charges alleging the school committee had not bargained in good faith when negotiating a memorandum of agreement on working conditions and that it had retaliated against union leadership, vice chairwoman Kelly A. Welch said at Tuesdayâs school committee meeting.
The investigation, conducted by the committeeâs attorney, Lan Kantany, found there was insufficient evidence provided by the union to establish probable cause that the committee engaged in bad faith bargaining and made unilateral changes to working conditions. In relation to retaliation allegations, the investigation found the union also failed to demonstrate how Lori Andrade, then union president, was materially impacted by the school committeeâs conduct.
I support Lori Andrade and the Falmouth Educators’ Association. We teach, preach and celebrate No Guff, no Hate, no bullying for a whole week, and supposedly all the time. This
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The Massachusetts Teachers Association accused Falmouth Superintendent Lori Duerr of taking disciplinary action against FEA President Lori Andrade for filing contractual grievances on behalf of teachers. (Shutterstock)
FALMOUTH, MA Hundreds of teachers from across Cape Cod and Massachusetts gathered Tuesday outside Falmouth Public Schools District Office to protest school administrators attempts to fire the president of the Falmouth Educators Association.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association accused Falmouth Superintendent Lori Duerr of taking disciplinary action against FEA President Lori Andrade for filing contractual grievances on behalf of teachers. According to MTA officials, Duerr placed Andrade on paid leave in April and has since signaled her intention to fire Andrade.
The Falmouth Educatorsâ Association, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Teachers Association, have accused Falmouth School Superintendent Lori Duerr of wrongfully suspending Lori Andrade, the president of the Falmouth Educatorsâ Association, for âfiling contractual grievances on behalf of teachers.â The FEA and MTA believe that Dr. Duerr engaged in multiple unjust labor practices. School administrators argue to the contrary.
Joany Santa, human resources director for Falmouth Public Schools, filed charges of racial discrimination and harassment in January with the department of labor against school employees, and including those in union leadership positions. The school hired an independent firm, Discrimination and Harassment Solutions, to conduct an investigation on the matter that ended mid-April.
Union busting is disgusting, one read. Support the FEA. Actions speak louder than words.
About 150 teachers and educators from across the state gathered in support of the Falmouth Educators Association, whose members claim the Falmouth Public Schools administration is retaliating against one of its members for filing complaints against the district.
Tuesday s rally was hosted by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, which has joined with the Falmouth association in filing complaints against the district.
“We are here today to stand up for our union rights,” Caitlin Dugre, director of the Falmouth Educators’ Association, said Tuesday. “There has been a history this year in particular of the Falmouth administration retaliating against our membership as well as our leadership for conducting legal and totally acceptable union activity.”