EAST PROVIDENCE — Citing a great financial stake in the matter, the city filed documents Friday seeking to join the Superior Court proceedings that may reverse the School Committee’s unprecedented decision to cut its teachers’ salaries and force them to pay part of the cost of their health insurance.

The East Providence Education Association, which represents the city’s more than 500 teachers, asked Judge Mark A. Pfeiffer last week to block the action. The union’s contract expired at the end of October, but union representatives contend the school board must adhere to the terms of that pact until a new one takes its place.

Negotiations and mediated talks failed last year to produce a new agreement. The teachers agreed with an arbitrator’s nonbinding recommendations last month, but the board unanimously rejected them as unaffordable and announced several unilateral changes instead.

The School Committee is counting on its planned nearly 5 percent salary rollback and payroll deductions to cover 20 percent of the cost of health-insurance premiums to save nearly $3 million by the end of the city’s current fiscal year, on Oct. 31. The district incurred a $4.2-million deficit last year and has an additional $4.1-million deficit projected for this year.

“The city is of the belief that if this court grants plaintiff its requested injunctive relief such that the current level of salary and benefits is maintained, it would force the School Committee to violate state law on a number of fronts,” Assistant City Solicitor Matthew T. Oliverio said in a court filing. “Specifically, the School Committee will be operating in a deficit position which will require the city to impose a supplemental tax beyond its city-imposed Charter rate of 3.5 percent and the state tax cap levy of 5 percent.”

He continued, “Since these statutory and Charter-based provisions are paramount and supersede any purported collective bargaining rights that may apply to this unique situation, any affirmative relief granted by this court will necessarily involve the expenditure of taxpayer money and the appropriation of taxpayer money by the City Council alone, and not the other parties — a consequence that would violate state and local law and place this municipality on the precipice of financial disaster.”

Mayor Joseph S. Larisa Jr. said last week that the city is “worse than broke” and may face bankruptcy if it doesn’t get concessions from the teachers.

“Just say yes, come together,” Larisa said at a council meeting last Tuesday. He also said the School Committee, which meets tonight at 7:30 in City Hall, has the council’s full support.

The Rhode Island Statewide Coalition, a government watchdog group, also supports the committee. In an e-mail yesterday, it urged Rhode Islanders to attend the meeting “to oppose the union money grab.” It also started a petition asking the judge to rule against the union.

“It is imperative that good citizens stand up against teacher union efforts that, in this economy, will bankrupt many cities and towns and, if successful, [will] result in substantial tax increases for everyone in this state,” Chairman Harry L. Staley wrote.

The union leaders met with the members Wednesday at the high school. President Valarie Lawson said afterward that the teachers are “aware of the procedures before them” and await the judge’s decision.

Pfeiffer plans to rule by Jan. 23, but the unilateral changes will be reflected in the teachers’ Jan. 16 paychecks.

In the meantime, Lawson said, “We will continue to do what we do best, teach.”

With staff reports from Maria Armental

apina@projo.com