Labor dispute

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   This could get TL:DR, but I wanted to run something past those if you with nothing to do. 

Flashing back- some of you may remember back when I left my job with the school. Very briefly, they told me there was no money in the budget to keep me, and if I wanted to, I could stay on at a first year civil service rate and work under the maintenance dept and still fix computers. I couldn't afford that option (they knew I couldn't) and I left. 

My replacement there worked for 3 years on the rate described, then his position was 'reevaluated' and he's an administrator making +60K a year. Back room deal? Perhaps. Don't care, I'm beyond it, its just a reference point for some the other goings on. 

Moving to recently- one of the bus drivers backed into a pole and damaged the wheel well so badly that the mechanic had to come onsite and fix it so she could drive back to the garage. (remember this point)

A few weeks ago, my mother slid a bit on slick roads and scratched the side of HER bus on a guardrail. It was such a minor event that she didn't know about it until she was called on the carpet and told that she was in trouble for leaving the scene of an accident and damaging district property. She could either be terminated, or submit her paperwork for retirement (she was the senior most driver in the district.) 

When she asked why the other driver wasn't punished (two paragraphs up) for wrecking HER bus, everyone denied that it ever happened, INCLUDING the mechanic- who said he'd never gone and fixed anything. 

So now, I make a comment on facebook telling people about how my mother was forced into retirement with the same antics that were used to get rid of me so long ago. Whelp, word got back to the superintendent, and he's PISSED. He went to the non-instructional staff president and threatened to reverse his decision to let my mother retire and that he was going to terminate her, thereby cancelling her insurance and retirement benefits. 

Here's the question....can he actually DO that? I mean, to hold her benefits over her head until the retirement takes effect in an effort to 'hush everyone up?' I'm not very bright, but that doesn't seem like its possible, since her paperwork's been submitted and she's done the end of the month. 

Now, some of you are saying "What moron puts that on facebook?" well- me. BECAUSE I'm friends with at least one BOE member, and in all likelihood, the board didn't know anything about her retirement until the superintendent presented her letter. He's got a great habit of making unilateral decisions without consultation, and I wanted to make sure that SOMEONE in the know had the seed planted that this might not have been a legitimate release. It worked apparently, and my best guess is that the board member I know went to the superintendent with the old "Double yoo tee eff mate?" - which is why the old windbag got mad. 

Is there actually a possibility that he can pull her retirement because he's mad at ME for something I said in a public forum? That seems vindictive and not very.......legal.  