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In another blatant attempt to bully the school committee, today’s Lowell Sun features its second editorial in eight days lambasting the board while ignoring basic facts and context: “How this perk was ever extended to the nonunion sector is anybody’s guess. But the shame of it falls on the School Department’s Central Office financial whiz kids who didn’t see the error of their ways, and on the school board for its lack of oversight in rubber-stamping the payments.”

It is not a guess how this benefit extended to non-union employees: it is a way for management to dissuade employees from joining unions, which allows them greater flexibility in scheduling and other management rights. Extending these benefits has been such a longstanding practice, in fact, not only in our schools but with Lowell city employees and municipalities across the state, that it defies logic for the Sun to blame it on the school committee. (But then logic and truth don’t factor much in these editorials.) For instance, Lowell Code 56-6 E clearly specifies that employees “shall be paid for unused accumulated sick leave on a forty-percent ratio” with a maximum buyback not to exceed $20,000 and without a longevity requirement. (The benefit for school employees—including the 47 non-union members—pays only those with 15+ years of service and accrues at a 33 percent ratio with no cap.)

The major problem with sick-leave buyback is that it is extremely expensive; this year’s school budget allocates $1 million to pay for it. However, removing the benefit for most employees can’t happen by a simple vote from the school board or the city council. Sick-leave buyback was negotiated into union contracts decades ago—presumably as an attendance and retirement incentive, as well as a perk when salaries were low. The only way to get it out of our contracts, which impacts more than 2,000 unionized school employees, is to negotiate it out.

Regardless of the nasty editorials, the Lowell School Committee must vote regarding the 47 non-union employees. Unlike the city, we do not have an ordinance that grants the benefit in writing although the non-union members may fall under city jurisdiction. Nine of the 47 have served 15 years or more, which means they are vested and expecting to receive a total of about $136,000 in buyback payments if they retire today—a benefit they have seen their colleagues (both union and not) receive for decades. As is often the case with these editorials, the true shame is how inaccurately a complex issue is portrayed, and what a disservice that is to the public. (My response to last week’s rant here.) The school committee will meet at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, 2/4, which will be televised live on channel 10.