THE `DETROIT JEWISH 'NEWS
Friday, October 21, 1983 11
Striking Teachers File Libel Suit Against Akiva
(Continued from Page 1)
Attorney Steven Co-
hen, a member of the
negotiating team for
Akiva, called the
teachers'. suit "without
basis," "a weak excuse"
and "without founda-
tion." H _ e said the school
would seek to "quash"
the suit on procedural
grounds.
The teachers had been -
prepared to file the suite
two weeks ago but delayed
when negotiations looked as
if they were reaching a con-
clusion. The two sides
agreed to a news blackout
on Oct. 12 and had two addi-
tional bargaining sessions.
June Fieger, the Akiva
teacher's liaison with the
Michigan Federation of
. Teachers, which represents
the teachers' union, said,
"We thought the logjam had
been broken. But then a
small group (on the school's
negotiating team) took over
that doesn't want the
teachers back." •
The teachers distributed
a letter to Akiva parents
this week, which stated:
"Very few issues re-
main to be resolved be-
fore peace can return to
Akiva. When these issues
are .settled, quality edu-
catioU can be restored.
You can make the dif=
ference between peace
and continued turmoil.
"You have been told that
our union has been guilty of
picket line violence. That is
absolutely false. We are so
insensed over that accusa-
tion that we have started
suit to prove that these
scurillous allegations are
position in order to reach a
contract. The school has not.
We believe the school wants
to rid itself of its obligations
to the union, instead . of
reaching a contract, and
that is why we have been
forced to strike.
"If you believe that the
dispute between the union
and the school has to end
soon — for the good of the
school encourage the
school to modify its position,
"reach a contract with us,
and return the Akiva staff
to work.
"We want to return to
work. We want peace and
quality education at Akiva.
That will occur if this one
issue is resolved. If it is not
resolved, we must continue
our strike, and continue our
efforts to assure security for
our members.
"We are a united union,
and we will stay that way.
We need your help to in-
sure justice."
The letter was distributed
in advance of a Wednesday
evening meeting of Akiva
parents at United Hebrew
Schools. The meeting was
called -by parent Cherna
Kowalsky, who said, "The
whole point of this situation
is quality education. A' lot of
parents feel that quality
education is not happening
-now." She added that "there
is a laCk of compassion in
this situation."
The teachers and the
school's negotiators met
Tuesday evening for con-
tract talks. Cohen said pro-•
gress was made leading to
tentative agreements on a
number of issues, but that
the negotiations took "an
unprofessional turn" with
nasty comments from the
teachers and a dispute over
the site of future negotia-
tions.
Susan Marwil, president
ily assistance program, of the striking Akiva
another service of the
association, helps
Man is the only animal
families who are waiting
for placements with in- which devours his own kind,
formation, referral, for I can apply no milder
counseling and emer- term to the governments of
Europe, and the general
gency placements.
Tickets for the benefit are prey of the rich upon the
still available: Call JARC at poor.
—Jefferson
557-7650 for information.
unfounded. Our pickets
have, been entirely peaceful,
and our picket line will con-
tinue to be peaceful.
"We have bargained
countless hours in good
faith to reach a new con-
tract. The school, however,
has one objective — it wants
to destroy our contractual
protections and our job se-
curity.
"The school insists that it
be allowed to reduce the
work load of any teacher by
up to 45 percent every other
year. This means that a
full-time teacher would be
cut to half-time in one year,
and to one-quarter time the
next time around.. No
educator could remain
working under those condi-
tions, because no profes-..
sional could withstand a 75
percent cut in pay. The
school knows this. We be-
lieve the school deliberately
proposed this to avoid our
protection against arbitrary
reduction in work load.
"If the school's pro-
posal is implemented, no
teacher's job is secure. A
teacher could be forced
to leave the school when
the school reduced a
teaching load to one-
quarter of what it was.
Who could afford to con-
tinue to work under such
conditions? What kind of
employees will agree to
work under those condi-
tions in the future? Would
you want to have your
children.. educated by
such teachers?
"The school has not mod-
ified its position since day
one of bargaining. We have
repeatedly adjusted our
Charly' Film Showing Aids
Projects to Help Retarded
Cliff Robertson stars in
the film, "Charly- ," to be
shown at the Jewish Asso-
ciation for Retarded Citi-
zens' fund-raising benefit to
be held 7:45 p.m. Thursday
at the Northland Theater.
Fund-raising chairman
Michael Feldman invites
the community.
Proceeds from the fund
raiser benefit JARC proj-
ects, such as the seven
Haverim Homes for 42 re-
tarded residents. About 120
persons are still awaiting
placement in a JARC-
sponsored home.
JARC also operates an
apartment program de-
signed to prepare, place
and supervise clients in
the community. About 25
clients are being served
in the program. The fam-
■ 111111I
teachers, told The Jewish
News that the teachers
were "just giving in" on the
minor issues so that the
main issue of job security
can be addressed. She ac-
cused the Akiva negotiators
of stalling, claiming that
every time a substantive
issue is raised - "the other
side lust smiles and says ev-
erything must be taken
back to the Akiva board."
She said many striking
teachers are being hurt
financially by the strike,
which began five weeks
ago. The Michigan Fed-
eration of Teachers has
established a strike fund
for the teachers, and Mrs.
Marwil said teachers at
United Hebrew Schools,
Hillel and Shaarey Zedek
"have contributed
generously to the fund."
Mrs. Marwil said she
sensed "a certain uneasi-
ness" between Akiva par-
ents and striking teachers.
She said the teachers feel
the parents have "turned
their backs" on the
teachers, and she believes
the parents may feel guilty
about taking their children
through the picket line. She
tu
JUNKETS! JUNKETS!
hoped that these issues
would be addressed at Wed-
nesday's meeting of par-
ents.
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