News

February 12, 2009

Group critical of diocese letter

Letter asks principals for lists of parents against Catholic teachers union bill.

By Mark Guydish mguydish@timesleader.com
Education Reporter
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SCRANTON – Calling it “desperate,” “despicable” and “intimidation,” the group trying to unionize Catholic school teachers railed against a letter Diocese of Scranton Superintendent of Schools Joseph Casciano sent to principals. Noting that Casciano asks for lists of parents who will urge state legislators to reject a pro-union bill, the union likened the letter to “tactics associated with Joseph McCarthy.”

Michael Milz, president of the Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers, said he had obtained a copy of the letter from several principals who told him “They would have no part of it because it’s divisive.”

A copy of the letter provided by Milz repeats the diocesan contention that the bill, known as House Bill 26, “Could close our schools.” The bill would amend the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Act to cover Catholic teachers, thus allowing the Labor Relations Board to force the diocese to let teachers vote on unionization by secret ballot.

The letter says that Auxiliary Bishop John Dougherty “has asked that each school have parents contact their respective legislator and ask him/her to refrain from supporting this bill,” adding that “they do not have to take a position of support for or against unions.” Milz said his association has no objection to parents contacting their legislators.

But the letter also says “the Bishop has asked that we gather a list from each school with the names of the individuals who will be contacting their representatives. Please forward them to the office ASAP.” That, Milz said, is what prompted some principals to show the letter to him. “To what purpose?” Milz asked.

A statement posted on the union Web-site said “Our guess is that soon another list, perhaps a ‘blacklist,’ will be put out with the names of the parents and their children who, knowing right from wrong, refused such a Faustian bargain and would not allow themselves to be intimidated.

“We hope all local citizens will contact their legislators and tell them how they feel about HB 26 … However, no one should ever be forced into a political position because they fear retribution for themselves or, worse, for their children.”

The union lost the right to represent teachers during a 2007 restructuring because the diocese eliminated the small local school boards and parish councils that had negotiated contracts, replacing them with four regional boards. Bishop Joseph Martino formed an “Employee Relations Committee he insists represents all school employees fairly.

Diocese spokesman Bill Genello did not respond to an e-mail and phone message seeking comment.

Mark Guydish, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7161

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