By Kyle Olson
EAGnews.org

PHILADELPHIA – Apparently union solidarity ends at the western shore of the Atlantic Ocean.

That’s all we can fathom from the news that Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan recently departed on a two week vacation to Europe, just as the school board was preparing to eliminate hundreds of union jobs.

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On April 25, 2012, the Huffington Post published a story with the headline, “Philadelphia Public Schools Reorganizing, Closing 64 Schools as District Braces for Dissolution.” The reorganization plan involves at least 250 layoffs of PFT members, according to media reports.

So the employees suffer while their leader suns himself in distant ports of call.

According to sources familiar with the school district, Jordan’s vacation will take him to Barcelona, Rome and Turkey. It’s believed he’s on a ship that’s also stopping in France and Greece. How 1% of him!

Legally Jordan can do whatever he wants with his $147,691 salary  that comes from the school district. But union members have an absolute right to scratch their heads and wonder just how “in touch” he is with their troubled circumstances.

Labor unions love to hammer company CEOs for living extravagantly as their employees are laid off or are forced to accept salary and benefit concessions.

How is Jerry Jordan any different?  Maybe the union-friendly Philadelphia Inquirer will bother to ask him that question when he comes back to show off his photo album and souvenirs. Or maybe not.

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Bon Voyage, Jerry!