New London — A state teachers’ union representing a recently organized group of paraprofessionals and food service employees in the New London school district has filed a complaint with the state Department of Labor against the New London Board of Education, claiming the school board has "dragged its feet" in negotiations with the more than 200 school employees who have organized over the past year.

The American Federation of Teachers Connecticut, in a complaint filed with the state Department of Labor Board of Labor Relations, argues the school board has failed to provide information to the union, refused to schedule negotiation meetings in a timely manner and declared an impasse in negotiations without any effort to negotiate.

The union is seeking a “cease and desist from such illegal activity,” that the board immediately schedule bargaining with the union and that the school board pay all costs associated with filing the complaint.

A mediation conference with the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration regarding the complaint is scheduled for April 20, according a spokesman with the state Department of Labor.

AFT Connecticut spokesman Matt O’Connor said part of the reason for the complaint is that the school board had requested mediation without ever demonstrating a good-faith effort to bargain. It is perplexing, O’Connor said, given that it was the school board in June that unanimously approved formation of the union representing paraprofessionals, tutors and teaching assistants. The board later approved unionization of food service employees.

Unionization paved the way for the employees to start negotiations on wages and working conditions.

O’Connor said approval by the previous school board — a new board was elected in November — allowed the groups to organize without the need to hold an election and “sent a message this would be a more collegial process going forward.”

The two groups joined to create the New London Federation of Noncertified Personnel and is composed of about 160 paraprofessionals, tutors and teaching assistants along with 43 food service employees. The group includes a mix of full- and part-time employees.

Since that time, however, O'Connor said, “our board is failing to negotiate in good faith" and contract negotiations have failed to get off the ground.

"That’s what’s unique about this," he said.

School Board President Mirna Martinez declined comment on the complaint. Interim Superintendent Stephen Tracy was not immediately available to comment.

The complaint comes as the school board considers the elimination of numerous paraprofessional positions as part of its proposed budget. The mayor’s proposed budget, which does not meet the Board of Education's request, could lead to even more lost school district positions.

Tara Warner, a paraprofessional in the district since 2011 and newly elected vice president of the New London Federation of Noncertified Personnel, spoke about the importance of paraprofessionals, or teaching aides, at a recent budget deliberation session with the City Council. Several people spoke in favor of restoring funds to the education budget.

“Paras are not just an extra body in the classroom,” Warner said. “They help provide more individual assistance to students who may need it so that the teacher may focus on the lesson in the class as a whole.”

Warner explained that paraprofessionals teach reading intervention groups, in some cases have specialized training in de-escalation techniques or on developing plans for inclusion of special education students into mainstream classes.

They also are saving the district money, she said, by providing student supervision before school and during lunch and recess.

“All the paras want is for the students and teachers to be as successful as possible. We just ask that you please support us as wholeheartedly as we support the students and the teachers,” Warner told the council.

g.smith@theday.com