Teachers Strike at 10 Catholic Schools

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/05/nyregion/04cnd-strike.html?hp

By JOHN ELIGON
Published: April 5, 2008

Nearly 200 teachers at 10 Catholic schools throughout the Archdiocese of New York went on strike Friday, saying that the archdiocese has hindered their efforts to obtain a new health insurance plan, said Mary-Ann Perry, the president of the Federation of Catholic Teachers, a union.

The strike could continue next week, Ms. Perry said, if the archdiocese does not give the teachers the information they need to obtain a new health care plan through Local 153, the Office and Professional Employees International Union.

A spokesman for the archdiocese criticized the strike, saying it was merely a bargaining chip on the part of the Catholic teachers’ union and that the archdiocese had already handed over a stack of documents that stood about a foot high.

At one school affected by the strike Friday, Our Lady Queen of Angels elementary school in East Harlem, some students watched videos and others played games.

The archdiocese and the union began negotiating a new contract last May. The contract expired on Aug. 31 without a new deal. In November, the archdiocese made a final offer. The deal included an increased premium for health insurance that the union said was too high, so a few weeks later it began seeking a new health care plan from an outside group, Ms. Perry said.

FULL story at link.

[msongs]

1. health plan??? all they really need is PRAYER nt