Saying the V.I. government is "broke" and has done its best to pay teachers money owed, Gov. Charles Turnbull announced late Monday that he will ask the Territorial Court to order striking union members back to work.
Turnbull said the hopes of students, parents and many American Federation of Teachers union members were "dashed" Monday after the union voted for the third time to reject a tentative wage agreement.
"I am left with the reality that the government has done its best and has gone as far as it can in its attempt to give the AFT justly deserved increases and provide quality educational opportunities for the children," Turnbull said in a release. "We are left with the stark reality that unlike bygone times, the territory is broke and there is no hidden source of funds from which we can further draw."
Turnbull said that after consulting with his negotiating team and "hearing the pleas of many parents" and his concern about the loss of learning days during the first quarter of the school year, he has directed V.I. Attorney General Iver Stridiron to seek a temporary restraining order in Territorial Court to require AFT members to return to the classrooms.
"I have taken this action to prevent an indefinite strike, destroying the chances of any semblance of a productive school year for our children, particularly the graduating seniors," said Turnbull. "I believe circumstances leave me little choice but to take this action and end this unfortunate and regrettable matter."
Tyrone Molyneaux, president of the St. Croix AFT, called the governor’s move a "union-busting technique." He said morale is already low among teachers. To force them back to work, Molyneaux said, would be counterproductive.
"The way it is, you can’t force a horse to drink water," he said, adding that teachers will continue to hold the strike line. "We will continue to hold the picket line as long as it takes . . . to get a fair and equitable settlement."