Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals
Encyclopedia
The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals (RIFTHP) is a statewide federation labor unions
in the state of Rhode Island
in the United States
. The federation's local unions represent teachers and other educational workers, state and municipal employees, health care workers in the public and private sector, and higher education faculty and workers. It is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers
(AFT) and the AFL-CIO
.
In 2009, the federation's president was Marcia Reback.
—one of the first teacher contracts in the United States. Another strike in Pawtucket in 1964 also ended in a contract, this one personally negotiated by Governor John Chafee
. This collective bargaining experience helped pave the way for legalization of teacher unionism in Rhode Island two years later.
Public school teachers in Rhode Island were given the legal right to bargain collectively over "...hours, salary, working conditions, and other terms of professional employment" in May 1966 (P.L. 1966, Chapter 146). Rhode Island law also allows payment of unemployment benefits to public school workers if they struck
for more than eight weeks.
Edward J. McElroy
was president of RIFTHP from 1969 to 1992. He was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the AFT in 1992, and President in 2004 (he retired in 2008).
In 1971, David Selden
, then a national representative
with the AFT, attempted to convince the leaders of RIFTHP to join with the state federations in Connecticut
and New York
to fund and operate an organizing project, but the RIFTHP leaders rejected the idea.
In the early 1970s, RIFTHP and the NEA statewide affiliate in Rhode Island considered merging, but did not do so. During the same years, RIFTHP was active in organizing higher education faculty as well. When the AFT and the National Education Association
signed a tentative merger agreement in 1998, RIFTHP leaders refused to immediately commit to a state-level merger (but supported the national effort).
RIFTHP began organizing nurses in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its most significant effort in this area came when it organized more than 1,000 registered nurse
s at Rhode Island Hospital
in August 1993. But in 1998, more than 3,500 health care workers belonging to RIFTHP disaffiliated in a dispute over how much money should be spent on organizing new members. Although RIFTHP and the AFT disputed the election results and sued former staff who went to work for the new union (the United Nurses and Allied Professionals
), the AFT lost these challenges.
s in the state's charter school law (the resulting law is one of the most restrictive in the nation as of 2004), supported stronger and clearer curriculum standards, sued to stop the state from penalizing retired public employees who were enrolled in more expensive health care plans, opposed binding arbitration
for teacher union contracts, opposed merit pay
, fought reductions in retiree pensions, and sought to limit the role of school-wide committees in establishing teacher assignments, class sizes and layoff rules.
A significant network of unionized teachers interested in applying new union structures and models to creating high-quality schools, part of the Teacher Union Reform Network (TURN), is also active within RIFTHP. There have been some media reports that this network has had an influence on RIFTHP, and that the state federation is more willing to embrace some union and school reform efforts. In 2006, RIFTHP and the NEA affiliate in Rhode Island issued a joint report which focused on poverty and its many negative effects on children (such a malnutrition, unstable or violent home situations, lack of access to books and educational items like crayons or paper, and little access to high-quality early childhood programs) as key issues in the school reform effort. The report dismissed criticism that collective bargaining agreements stymied reform, and pressed for higher spending on early-childhood programs, reductions in class size, and improving teacher training programs. In 2009, the state federation began a push to have local school boards adopt much more rigorous teacher evaluation standards as well as stronger mentoring program. The state of Rhode Island approved the plan for adoption by local school boards, and RIFTHP won a $200,000 national competitive grant to help fund the first four programs (to be implemented in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket).
is in session. The Federationist is published quarterly. Both are available on RIFTHP's Web site.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
in the state of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The federation's local unions represent teachers and other educational workers, state and municipal employees, health care workers in the public and private sector, and higher education faculty and workers. It is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals...
(AFT) and the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
.
In 2009, the federation's president was Marcia Reback.
History
The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers was originally founded as the Rhode Island Branch, American Federation of Teachers, on March 27, 1947. The original unions making up the federation were the Warwick Teachers' Union, the North Providence Federation of Teachers, the Pawtucket Teachers' Alliance, the Woonsocket Teachers' Guild, and the Providence Teachers' Alliance. Four years after its formation, the Pawtucket Teachers' Alliance went out on strike—one of a handful of local unions to disobey a national AFT policy banning strikes by teacheers. The federation changed its name to the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers in 1958. The Pawtucket strike ended in a settlement favorable to the union, and a rudimentary contractCollective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
—one of the first teacher contracts in the United States. Another strike in Pawtucket in 1964 also ended in a contract, this one personally negotiated by Governor John Chafee
John Chafee
John Lester Hubbard Chafee was an American politician. He served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps, as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, as the Secretary of the Navy, and as a United States Senator.-Early life and family:...
. This collective bargaining experience helped pave the way for legalization of teacher unionism in Rhode Island two years later.
Public school teachers in Rhode Island were given the legal right to bargain collectively over "...hours, salary, working conditions, and other terms of professional employment" in May 1966 (P.L. 1966, Chapter 146). Rhode Island law also allows payment of unemployment benefits to public school workers if they struck
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
for more than eight weeks.
Edward J. McElroy
Edward J. McElroy
Edward J. McElroy, Jr. is an American teacher and labor union leader. He was president of the American Federation of Teachers from 2004 to 2008, and an AFL-CIO vice president from 2001 to 2008.-Early life and union career:...
was president of RIFTHP from 1969 to 1992. He was elected Secretary-Treasurer of the AFT in 1992, and President in 2004 (he retired in 2008).
In 1971, David Selden
David Selden
David Selden was an American activist who led the American Federation of Teachers from 1968 through 1974.As Director of Organization of the Teachers Guild from 1953, he was a main strategist in the creation of the United Federation of Teachers in 1960 and the winning of collective bargaining in 1961...
, then a national representative
Union organizer
A union organizer is a specific type of trade union member or an appointed union official. A majority of unions appoint rather than elect their organizers....
with the AFT, attempted to convince the leaders of RIFTHP to join with the state federations in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to fund and operate an organizing project, but the RIFTHP leaders rejected the idea.
In the early 1970s, RIFTHP and the NEA statewide affiliate in Rhode Island considered merging, but did not do so. During the same years, RIFTHP was active in organizing higher education faculty as well. When the AFT and the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
signed a tentative merger agreement in 1998, RIFTHP leaders refused to immediately commit to a state-level merger (but supported the national effort).
RIFTHP began organizing nurses in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its most significant effort in this area came when it organized more than 1,000 registered nurse
Registered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
s at Rhode Island Hospital
Rhode Island Hospital
Rhode Island Hospital is a private, not-for-profit hospital located in Providence, Rhode Island.-Overview:Rhode Island Hospital is the main teaching hospital of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. A major trauma center for southeastern New England, the hospital is dedicated to...
in August 1993. But in 1998, more than 3,500 health care workers belonging to RIFTHP disaffiliated in a dispute over how much money should be spent on organizing new members. Although RIFTHP and the AFT disputed the election results and sued former staff who went to work for the new union (the United Nurses and Allied Professionals
United Nurses and Allied Professionals
The United Nurses and Allied Professionals is a labor union in the United States which represents approximately 5,500 registered nurses, technologists, therapists, support staff, and other health care workers employed in Rhode Island, Vermont, and Connecticut.-Formation:The origins of the date...
), the AFT lost these challenges.
Activities
The Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals is considered one of the most active political groups in the state of Rhode Island. It sued to oppose the shut-down of Rhode Island state government during a budget crisis in 1991, fought to keep full-time union leaders (who were former public employees) in the state pension system, worked to enact strong constraints on charter schoolCharter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s in the state's charter school law (the resulting law is one of the most restrictive in the nation as of 2004), supported stronger and clearer curriculum standards, sued to stop the state from penalizing retired public employees who were enrolled in more expensive health care plans, opposed binding arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
for teacher union contracts, opposed merit pay
Merit pay
Merit pay is a term describing performance-related pay, most frequently in the context of educational reform. It provides bonuses for workers who perform their jobs effectively, according to measurable criteria...
, fought reductions in retiree pensions, and sought to limit the role of school-wide committees in establishing teacher assignments, class sizes and layoff rules.
A significant network of unionized teachers interested in applying new union structures and models to creating high-quality schools, part of the Teacher Union Reform Network (TURN), is also active within RIFTHP. There have been some media reports that this network has had an influence on RIFTHP, and that the state federation is more willing to embrace some union and school reform efforts. In 2006, RIFTHP and the NEA affiliate in Rhode Island issued a joint report which focused on poverty and its many negative effects on children (such a malnutrition, unstable or violent home situations, lack of access to books and educational items like crayons or paper, and little access to high-quality early childhood programs) as key issues in the school reform effort. The report dismissed criticism that collective bargaining agreements stymied reform, and pressed for higher spending on early-childhood programs, reductions in class size, and improving teacher training programs. In 2009, the state federation began a push to have local school boards adopt much more rigorous teacher evaluation standards as well as stronger mentoring program. The state of Rhode Island approved the plan for adoption by local school boards, and RIFTHP won a $200,000 national competitive grant to help fund the first four programs (to be implemented in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket).
Publications
RIFTHP issues two publications, Smith Hill Report and The Federationalist. The Smith Hill Report is published weekly while the Rhode Island General AssemblyRhode Island General Assembly
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 senators...
is in session. The Federationist is published quarterly. Both are available on RIFTHP's Web site.