Detroit Hebrew Teachers Union Bars Strike, Accepts Compromise Pact

Classes began on schedule in the United Hebrew Schools of Detroit last week after a compromise settlement averted a teachers’ strike. Rabbi Charles Rosenzveig, president of the Association of Hebrew Teachers of Metropolitan Detroit, said that while the teachers were not wholly satisfied with the settlement, “We felt that we were not morally ready to go out on strike…We had the power to destroy more than we were willing to destroy.” he said. The teachers did not achieve their full wage demands, the Detroit Jewish News reported. They had asked for a five percent pay increment over a six percent cost of living increment this year, a total of 11 percent, and at least a five percent wage increase next year. They accepted an eight percent total pay increase this year and six percent next year. But according to Rabbi Rosenzveig, the teachers’ position has been greatly enhanced by the new contract. One key issue, the trend toward fewer full-time teachers, was settled by an agreement with the United Hebrew Schools to explore “means and methods” to find at least 20 additional students willing to take night classes so that more teachers could be employed full time. The students would be those needing extra help or who wanted accelerated work.

The teachers’ demand for severance pay was not met. The United Hebrew Schools argued that because half of the teachers were not on tenure, the issue was meaningless. Rabbi Rosenzveig conceded that point but added, “psychologically it would have been a boost for us,” the Jewish News reported. The United Hebrew Schools did not agree to union proposals for a teachers’ role in policy-making for the system. But it agreed to hold one full board meeting a year devoted to presentations by Association representatives and discussion of them. The Association currently has 56 members; four or five teachers do not belong. The new contract comes up for ratification next week. Rabbi Rosenzveig said the union did win its request for an agency shop. He said all teachers in the United Hebrew Schools will be bound by Association rulings and those teachers who are not dues-paying members of the union must pay fees of equal amount. He also said the Association had agreed that during the life of the new two-year contract, “we must do a better Job of explaining to the board exactly what it means to teach in the Hebrew schools.”