TEWKSBURY -- Despite passionate pleas from teachers and parents for leniency, the School Committee voted unanimously last night to temporarily roll back the workday -- and thus the salaries -- of all school employees by 10 percent come July 1.
But the committee also left the door open for other suggestions, noting that it could not delay the controversial vote because of a contractual June 15 layoff deadline that the teachers union declined to waive.
"We're not close-minded," Chairman Richard O'Neill said after the vote. "Closing a school is off the table and we're not going to just flat lay off 40 people, but anything else we're willing to entertain."
In the meantime, though, all school employees will receive pink slips. Recall notices with a reduced, 90 percent workload will then follow. Those employees who agree to be rehired will essentially accept a temporary 10 percent pay cut and shorter work week.
Read the full story on the Tewksbury budget problem and how they are attempting to address it in the Lowell Sun here
Hmm, we have cut 28 positions in 2008, 42 positions on 2009, and could go as many as 60 for 2010.
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