Hillel Teachers Fight Back

In the middle of contract negotiations the Hillel Day School announced it was withdrawing union recognition and ended talks. The Hillel Day School teachers have had union affiliation for 40 years. The Hillel board decided to act four days after the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that Brother Rice High School, as a parochial school, did not have to comply with a Michigan Employment Relations Commission ruling that allowed its teachers to vote on unionizing. The teachers at the Jewish day school understand the importance of a union contract as opposed to the "individual contracts" being offered by the school, and are fighting back. They have been enlisting the help of elected officials and others in the community to press the board to voluntarily recognize the union. Letters are pouring in to The Jewish News in support of a union contract for the members. Special thanks go to U.S. Representative Sander Levin, State Senator Gilda Jacobs, and State Representatives Andy Meisner and Aldo Vagnozzi for their assistance.