State takes over school union

The Pennsylvania State Education Association has placed the union representing Pleasant Valley School District’s support staff under trusteeship.

PSEA’s board approved the action at its March 24 meeting after a hearing six days earlier.

According to a letter sent to the members of the Pleasant Valley Education Support Professionals, which includes positions such as secretaries, janitors and cafeteria workers, the hearing officer found credible evidence of conduct by union leadership that:

• Amounts to negligent care of assets of the association and PSEA, creating danger to the integrity of those assets;

• Is in serious conflict with the PSEA and PVESP governing documents and policies; and

• Is in serious conflict with the welfare of the members of the union.

The findings are based on a pending lawsuit filed by union President Danuta Jackiewicz and member Lorrie Anderson against the union last year in the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas.

In their complaint, Jackiewicz and Anderson cite a grievance they filed in 2015. They allege another administrative secretary, Lorraine McCutchan, received an increase in the pay scale while no other employees in the same or similar positions had received the same increase, in violation of the collective bargaining agreement, and for a higher step-up in pay, since approximately 2008.

McCutchan, along with the union, filed an unfair labor practices charge against the district in 2015, after a dispute arose regarding a position in which she applied for with the superintendent of the Pleasant Valley School District, which she ultimately did not receive, the complaint states.

According to a settlement agreement reached with the district, McCutchan gets $6,500 a year in annual bonuses from the district until she retires or turns 65.

“The district and union acted in concert in negotiating and entering an agreement with McCutchan which would result in her withdrawal of the complaints,” Jackiewicz and Anderson allege in their lawsuit.

Paul Shemansky, PSEA communications officer, said the trusteeship is simply a “precautionary measure” to prevent any conflict that may arise due to a union president filing a lawsuit against her own union.

“It’s very rare that we see this kind of situation, but this protects the interests of the union members,” Shemansky said.

Pleasant Valley’s support staff union has an upcoming officer election in May, Shemansky said. If new leadership is elected, PSEA will evaluate the situation to see if the trusteeship needs to continue.

“PSEA understands that trusteeship is a drastic disciplinary measure to be taken by a democratic union only under serious conditions and as a last resort to protect the assets and welfare of you, the members,” PSEA’s letter to the membership states. “The trusteeship will continue so long as deemed necessary by the PSEA board of directors, based on the recommendations of the trustees, to assure that the welfare of members and local association assets are protected.”

PSEA has appointed Rosemarie J. Paolucci (IU #20 Colonial ESP), Iva Mae Morrison (Nazareth Area ESP), and Arlene M. Hooper-Walsh (Wilkes-Barre Area CTC ESP) as trustees who assume control of the business of the union during the trusteeship.

Trustees met Wednesday night in the Pleasant Valley High School cafeteria to explain the process and rationale for the trusteeship, and the authority of the trustees.