By Tom Jordan
Negotiations for a new contract for the teachers of the two high schools operated by the Diocese of Rockville Centre have reached a critical stage, with Bishop James T. McHugh's amendment of the "recognition" clause the main source of contention in reaching a compromise. The two sides are scheduled to resume negotiations on Wednesday, September 20.
Harry Kranepool, president of Lay Faculty Association 1261, which represents the approximately 150 teachers employed by Holy Trinity and St. John the Baptist high schools, believes that a settlement can be reached at the session. He did caution, however, that if discussions with the bargaining team from the diocese take on the "negative tone that they have been" that a strike would be imminent.
Operating without a contract since September 1, the union picketed on Park Avenue on Friday, September 8, citing concerns over issues which include health insurance and pension funds, but the sticking point remained a clause in the proposed contract submitted by the diocese, which suggested that Catholic school teachers must adhere to "a personal fidelity to church teaching and practice" and that they "are to be outstanding for their correct doctrine and integrity of life."
Fearing that the clause would allow the Bishop the autonomy to terminate any teacher he deemed as not following the Catholic doctrine, union members denounced the edict, saying that their "personal lives would be subject to the Bishop's intrusive watch." Several of the 140 protesters responded by carrying placards reading, "My private life is between God and me" as they marched across the street from the Diocesan Pastoral Center.
Negotiations resumed the following Monday afternoon, following intervention from the New York State Employment Relations Board.
Mr. Kranepool informed Bishop McHugh that the teachers would be willing to accept the statement into the new contract only if the words "this in no way implies that the diocese will pry into the teachers' family and into peoples' private lives."
In a letter to Mr. Kranepool dated September 14, Bishop McHugh said that he could not agree with the specific wording requested by the union, because "the statement of Catholic identity and mission was always intended to be an expression of the purpose and role of a Catholic school and all associated with it." Bishop McHugh went on to say that "providing Catholic education is the responsibility of the bishop of a diocese," and that is was "a responsibility that also includes motivating all associated with Catholic education to live the faith as well as possible."
However, Bishop McHugh did revise his statement in order to allay fears and remove any possibility of misunderstanding.
The new clause reads, in part: "Catholic teachers are called to personal fidelity to the church, teaching by word and deed what Christ taught, and striving to achieve holiness of life by fulfillment of their vocation and ministry as educators in a Catholic school."
Mr. Kranepool said that the term "striving for" made all the difference.
"That statement and the previous one are vastly different," he said. "Bishop McHugh really softened the language concerning the fidelity clause. With the change in phraseology, I believe that issue is satisfied, though we're still not 100 percent copacetic with it.
"If [the September 20 bargaining session] is a give-and-take situation, then I'm confident that a settlement can be reached." If the session does not go well, Mr. Kranepool said, it is possible the union will take a strike authorization vote.
"Bishop McHugh is on record as stating: 'There will be no attempt, at any time, to invade the privacy of conscience,'" said Joanne Novarro, Director of Public Information for the diocese. "We're anxious to get the contract signed and get back to the business of educating students."
The public demonstration on Park Avenue and daily meetings of the teachers outside the schools played a big part in keeping talks moving, said Mr. Kranepool. "When you've got your troops behind you," he said, "you can go forward."
