Public Employee Press

Arbitration saves job for Local 372 School Aide

With responsibilities that include monitoring the halls, maintaining order in the cafeteria, distributing late passes and accompanying students to the hospital when needed, School Aides have one of the toughest jobs in the public school system. For 14 years Local 372 member Kurt Regis has been doing that hard job, most recently at Middle College High School in Brooklyn.

But in March 2005, Regis was terminated by the Dept. of Education for allegedly using profanity and corporal punishment against a student.

“That didn’t happen,” said Regis of the allegations. “I even have written statements from other students who were there saying that didn’t happen.”

While the union contract requires disciplinary action to be based on a fair and thorough investigation, the principal spoke only to the student’s friends and Regis before dismissing the School Aide. Regis promptly called Council Rep Craig Dickerson, who filed a grievance. The DOE and the union could not come to an agreement and the case went to arbitration on Jan. 15.

At the hearing the DC 37 legal team showed that the principal’s investigation was incomplete because other students and another School Aide on duty with Regis were not interviewed. The union also pointed out that the principal never filed a corporal punishment report.

The arbitrator ruled that the DOE did not have sufficient reason to dismiss Regis and ordered him returned to work with back pay for January through November 2007.

“I have to thank Mr. Dickerson for helping me get my job back,” said Regis, who will return to work shortly.