The newest kind of sweatshop: Lawrence Public Schools
Hard work, little pay and abusive behavior from supervisors
The Lawrence Public Schools have been in turmoil for as long as I can remember. From our high school losing accreditation to Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy’s years (for those who may not know it, he ended up in jail.) Then, came the Commonwealth takeover of the entire school system, it’s a miracle that some students managed to succeed in college or have been chosen at the best universities all over the country.
There’s one issue that seems to have been getting worse over the years: employee relations. There’s no way that the behavior encountered by school department employees could be found in any other industry. The lack of respect and abusive behavior is difficult to believe.
It begins with nepotism. I recently wrote in my column (March 22, 2023) about the preferential treatment given to unqualified, arrogant members of families with no knowledge of human decency when dealing with other employees who according to some supervisors are “beneath” them. They are insulted, belittled in front of other employees, and sent home without a clear reason for dismissal.
The most recent case, to my knowledge, is that of Ana Sanchez, a cafeteria worker at the Parthum School, a union steward who has worked as a cafeteria worker for Lawrence Public Schools for four-and-a-half years.
On February 21, 2023, Ana Sanchez and other members of Firemen & Oilers, Local 3, SEIU (the “Union”) delivered a petition to management at the School District Office regarding the Union’s desire that management pay the Union members a stipend that another set of workers in another bargaining unit receive. Ana Sanchez was the member who actually handed the petition to the representative of management.
I have been following this case for a while and attended some of the meetings and rallies asking for raises and fairness like the case of the stipends earned by acquiring the ServSafe certification.
After a long fight, Lunch Aides won a stipend for maintaining their ServSafe certification. Our members, the Lawrence school cafeteria workers, must maintain this same certification but do not receive the stipend. We believe that this is unjust. The Lawrence Cafeteria workers have asked that the District pay them this stipend, but the District has so far refused.
On March 14, Ana Sanchez said that Rosemary Marte mistreated her at work expressing disdain for the union; Rosemary demanded that Ana speaks in English, a language that is not required in her line of work.
Mr. DaCruz and Myrtle Grullon, the Union’s bilingual coordinator, visited the Parthum School to speak to Ms. Sanchez and other members. During said visit, various members reported that Ms. Marte changed members work assignments and created an uncomfortable work environment.
On March 22, 2023, Lawrence Public Schools placed Ana Sanchez, on leave pending investigation for a matter involving her zealous advocacy on behalf of another cafeteria worker. Before the District placed her on leave, Ana was a leader of the cafeteria workers’ fight for a ServSafe Stipend.
“Before the District placed Ana on leave, she had also just filed a complaint with HR against a supervisor for abusive behavior against her. We believe that the timing of this leave was meant to cool our members’ activism for the ServSafe stipend by creating a culture of fear,” said Jeremy DaCruz, the Union’s Assistant Business Agent.
I was looking forward to attending the meeting of the Lawrence Alliance for Education scheduled for April 12 but it was canceled. Mayor Brian DePeña was going to introduce the 3 new members replacing outgoing ones and they were supposed to discuss these salary issues.
Now, Ana is facing disciplinary action on Monday, April 24, according to a letter from Assistant Superintendent Maricel Goris, on charges of Professional Responsibility and Conduct.
Lawrence Public Schools have proven once again that it’s slave labor. They hire the poorest immigrants paying them little more than minimum wage and instead of inspiring them to get ahead within the system they are mistreated by people who believe to be superior with the right to do that.
During the years the Lawrence Alliance for Education was in charge of the school system, they were supposed to make the members of the school committee part of everything so they could learn to manage the laws and finances when the schools were returned to us. Instead, they were disregarded, shunt aside and kept ignorant of everything.
Hopefully, when the schools return to be managed by the current administration, things will change. And the members of the School Committee will have to learn in a rush.
Be the first to comment