This morning, word went out that the teachers of Saint Ignatius High School in Santa Elena Town, in Cayo, went on a type of "go slow" with the threat of striking. It's a situation that has been brewing at the school, we are told, for several days now, where the teachers say that the interim Principal, Vanessa Neal, has been making personnel decisions and transfers they don't agree with, and which they say put their jobs at risk.
Yesterday, after school, the teachers met with George Frazer, the BNTU representative dispatched by the union to deal with their concerns. And today, because the principal refused to meet with them and Frazer, the teachers considered striking. They decided against it because it would negatively affected their students, but if they continue to be ignored, they will take action.
Frazer, who has been trying to get all parties to the table for a peaceful resolution, spoke with 7News this afternoon:
George Frazer, Negotiator, NNTU
"Yesterday, early afternoon and then they ask if we could meet because many of them were becoming very frustrated. Two of them have resign or being forced out of their post. I have a list of at least 10 or more allegations of abuse of authority by the administration and some are claiming the board, but I understand that many of the decisions many of them which are illegal. If you check the education act of rules made between the chairman of the board Father Leo Palma and the principal Ms. Vanessa Neal and the vice principal. From the time you hear the vice principal - she has her job description. She has been authorize to take care of have been taken away just at the whims of the principal. Two secretaries are being changed; one of them just comes off of maternity leave, now they are putting somebody new and demoting them."
7News was in Cayo where we waited 3 hours for an opportunity to try to speak with Vanessa Neal, the principal, but we were told that she wasn't available. An hour before news time, we managed to reach her by telephone, but she told us that she was in a meeting, and that she would call us back.
Frazer is calling for a meeting with the Administration, the teachers, and Education Ministry officials which is scheduled for Monday, where he hopes that there can be a resolution without an need for industrial action. He told us that after classes today, he had another meeting scheduled with only the teachers.
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