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CSA Files Lawsuit Over Layoffs
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CSA ended 2003 by filing a lawsuit against Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel Klein concerning the manner in which the city handled the round of layoffs last spring during the implementation of the reorganization of the city's school system.
The legal papers, filed Dec. 31, claim that the city violated state law and CSA's contract in its refusal to follow seniority rules in filling positions. Hundreds of Education Administrators in district offices and central were laid off, and hundreds of new EA positions were created. In the suit, CSA says the Department of Education filled the new positions without regard for excessing and seniority rights. CSA is asking the court to decree that former Supervisors of Special Education – a title that was eliminated – should be placed in the newly created Instructional Support Specialist positions, which is similar in description to the former Supervisor of Special Education job. (Some new Assistant Principal positions are also included in this request.) And last, CSA wants the court to re-establish the salaries of those members who were moved, in some cases laterally, to new jobs but at reduced salaries. "They laid off everybody and filled newly-posted positions without regard for seniority," said Bruce Bryant, CSA's General Counsel. "The Department of Education has refused to follow state law and contractual obligations in reference to seniority and excessing rights," he said. More than 900 CSA members were affected by this action. |