With the clock ticking down to a territory-wide strike by public school teachers, at least one senator is calling on Gov. Charles Turnbull to call a meeting to solve the crisis.
Over the weekend, Sen. Almando "Rocky" Liburd sent a letter to Turnbull urging the chief executive to consult legislators in an effort to avert a strike. Last Wednesday, leaders of the St. Thomas-St. John and St. Croix chapters of the American Federation of Teachers announced their intent to strike after 72 hours, unless an agreement is reached.
On Friday, Turnbull met with some of his Cabinet officials to discuss the crisis, but what is being considered is not known.
That prompted Liburd to call for a all-inclusive meeting. He said that the community can't afford the stress and disruption that a strike would bring. He added that the inclusion of senators is a must because whatever contract agreement that is ultimately struck between the administration and the unions would have to be approved by the Legislature.
"Whatever you do at Government House, it has to go through the Senate," said Liburd. "The Legislature has to be involved."
The at-large senator criticized the administration for its "wait-and-see" attitude that will force it to act in a crisis mode to solve the problem, especially since the both AFT chapters have given the 72-hour notice to strike. Liburd said a solution needs to come this week.
"We’re not making any movement," Liburd said. "It seems we’re waiting for the teachers to walk before we do anything.
"I believe if we get together we can come to some kind of solution."
Government House has not commented on the Friday meeting, which reportedly included Turnbull, Education Commissioner Ruby Simmonds, Chief Negotiator Karen Andrews and other executive branch officials.
Teachers have rejected the government's demand that they forgo all retroactive pay in exchange for a new contract providing modest salary increases. On Wednesday, Vernelle deLagarde, interim president of the St. Thomas-St. John AFT, said teachers stood to lose more than $100 million in previously negotiated salaries under the government's offer and noted that teachers are still on a 1993 salary level.
Meanwhile, Amos Peters, local chapter president of the Seafarers International Union, which represents some 3,200 V.I. government employees, said he is waiting to see how the administration deals with the AFT before heading to the negotiating table.
In an interview on WSTX radio, Peters said the union has been waiting to negotiate a new contract for the last 18 months but the administration has put off meeting. But with the impasse with the teachers, he said he is now willing to see what the outcome will be before going back to the table.
Peters said that in 1997, the union gave up five years of negotiated raises and retroactive pay worth about $45 million.
"At this particular point in time, we’re not going to bend because we’ve given up where other unions haven’t," he said.