EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Hundreds of teachers turned in support of colleagues from East Providence. The East Providence teachers were ordered to take a five-percent pay cut and ordered to chip in for health insurance premiums.
School committee members had to shut down a public meeting Tuesday night at East Providence High School because they couldn't control the crowd of hundreds of teachers who came out to protest mid-year pay cuts.
The battle over the city's teacher contracts has exploded as municipal budgets shrivel statewide in the face of a deepening recession and reductions in state aide.
Teachers say the school committee should not have rejected an independent arbitrator's decision and is illegally trying to force pay cuts and increased health care contributions.
School committee chair Anthony Carcieri says the district is broke and has nothing else to cut.
The teachers' union has sued the school committee over the move. A judge could rule by the end of the week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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