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Friday, November 14, 2008

One Third of APS Aides Call in Sick

By Andrea Schoellkopf
Journal Staff Writer
       Nearly one-third of Albuquerque's 1,900 educational assistants called in sick Thursday in apparent reaction to a contract dispute.
    Superintendent Winston Brooks railed against union leadership, saying it was clearly an organized sickout, and made a public plea for the workers to return today.
    "This action targeted at the board, and perhaps myself and the administration, actually impacted the kids of Albuquerque the most," Brooks said Thursday. "And so, on behalf of those children, I beg the EAs who were gone today to come back to work tomorrow. The kids of APS need you."
    An employee action had been rumored for weeks by educational assistants, who are among the lowest-paid employees in the district. Starting pay is $10.12 per hour, or $12,000 a year.
    The union had declared an impasse with the district in July, and 93 percent of EA staff rejected a proposed 40-cent raise in October.
    At Chaparral Elementary, 21 of the 30 educational assistants did not show up, sending therapists and district staffers into the classrooms to help with the school's 68 medically fragile students.
    The assistants are often assigned to care for medically fragile students, many on a one-on-one basis. Those duties can include working with feeding tubes, changing diapers, and helping students in walkers and wheelchairs.
    Union President Kathy Chavez said union officials were not aware of an organized effort.
    The assistants want a $1 hourly raise, which would cost $3 million a year. About $1 million has been awarded by the Legislature.
    "These public school employees need someone who will listen to them and help them," Chavez said in an e-mail Thursday. "They've tried every way to send their message. They gave polite, gut-wrenching testimony to state legislators. ... No one appears to be listening."