With tension and recriminations, the issue of the confrontation between the management of the English School and the employees was discussed once again at the Parliamentary Committee on Education. An appeal for dialogue for the good of the school was made by MPs and relevant ministries, but without any sign of a willingness to compromise and with Committee Chairman Pavlos Mylonas predicting that the issue will be resolved in court.
The Board insisted that the private school status for the English School cannot be challenged and that although the School's Board is appointed by the Council of Ministers and receives grants and other funds for the maintenance of its buildings, it is not a public body.
On behalf of the School's Board, Natalie Partasidou said that the English School has the privilege as an employer, if there is disciplinary misconduct, to initiate an investigation process and that once the process is complete, they can then appear before the Ministry of Labour for mediation.
The President of the Staff Guild, Myrto Hasapopoulou denounced that the school principal presented the Board with a list of 13 teachers for dismissal and four of them have been placed under disciplinary proceedings and are members of the Committee in the Guild. She said that she, the secretary and the treasurer of the guild are facing disciplinary proceedings based on the minutes of the House and letters from the guilds. She added that the director's aim is to shut down the guild and reduce anyone who expresses opposing views and said he is already reducing staff and morale. He added that the principal has announced reforms for the eyes of parents, without consultation and without anyone understanding what they are. He noted that in previous years they have never had a problem with disciplinary proceedings and teachers who have had proceedings against them have had excellent evaluations. He also said that it is obvious that the Board and the principal do not want to consult with the Guild.
The attorney for the Guild said that the English School has a peculiar status which must be recognized and that minutes of the House cannot be used for disciplinary proceedings against teachers.
Two representatives of different Parents' Associations spoke to the Committee. Paris Kleanthous stated President of the official Parents' Association which represents all parents and was in favour of the reforms attempted by the school's management and said that he did not know whether disciplinary procedures are arbitrary, nor is it their job to know. We want, he said, our children to be happy and in the classrooms, avoiding last year's strikes
On behalf of the other parent association, attorney Laris Vrahimis said being unionized does not mean one is allowed to break the law and commit disciplinary offenses. No one, he added, has faced disciplinary action for unionization. He said he speaks with the authority of about half of the school's parents andthey seek to keep the school open.
The Ministry of Education has appealed to all stakeholders to stand on the same front and fight for the good of the school.
On behalf of the Ministry of Labour it was reported that Ministers Yannis Karousos and Kyriakos Kousios tried to prevent the issue from reaching a conflict and that the Ministry is at the disposal of both sides. He also said that if people are prosecuted for being members of guilds, then this should be taken to the Guild Supervisor who, if applicable, should refer it to the Attorney General since it is a criminal offence.
Tension ensued when English School Board President Haralambos Iosifidis asked for the Guild President not to speak, as their lawyer had already been seated, resulting in the Committee Chairman telling him that this is not the English School Board and that there are other procedures being followed.
On another occasion, AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaides likened the behaviour of the School's management to that of Erdogan, provoking strong reactions.
In statements to reporters, the President of the Committee, DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas said that they appealed for understanding and not vindictive behaviour from the employer's side, while calling on employees to sit at the dialogue table to find a happy medium. However, he said there is so much tension that the parties involved can only be taken to court.
DISY MP Georgios Karoullas said that the issue is highly labour and that the English School is a private school and not a public body and should be left to operate under its own regulations and through dialogue to find the best solutions for the School to continue its work unhindered.
AKEL MP Christos Christofides spoke of wrong handling and authoritarian attitudes
that hurt the name of the school, the children attending and their parents. He appealed to the leadership of the English school and the Presidency of the Republic to stop the persecution and start a serious dialogue to solve the problems democratically.
The Member of Parliament of DIPA - Cooperation Alekos Tryfonidis kcalled on all parties involved in consultation for the good of the English school to solve the problems and maintain the high level of the school. He also said that if no solution is found, as Parliament they can take action with legislative initiatives concerning either sponsorship or maintenance of the buildings.
Source: CNA
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