Our union contract is a critical document that's the culmination of the collective bargaining process.
During the bargaining process, a team of OEA teachers sit down as equals with administrators/directors and both sides negotiate the terms for working in the district. This team bargains a contract that defines the issues for all members of the bargaining unit: teachers, counselors, and all certificated staff.
Not everything is negotiable. Critical job issues that are within the legal scope of bargaining include compensation, hours of work, safety matters, class size, evaluation and disciplinary procedures, health care, access to personnel files, preparation time, seniority, transfer rights, a grievance procedure with binding arbitration to settle major disputes, discrimination, job assignments, and early retirement.
Issues not within the scope of bargaining include a district’s staffing needs, the district budget process, matters affecting employees outside the bargaining unit, the timing of layoffs, an advisory committee formed by the employer, and access to information unrelated to union representation.
Both OEA and the district have embraced what is known as “interest-based” bargaining — a model that can be effective if all parties have a sincere desire to make it work. In interest-based bargaining, the parties brainstorm to find a “win-win” solution that doesn’t start with specific bargaining proposals. The focus is on developing mutually beneficial agreements based on the interests of the parties — the needs, desires and concerns important to each side. The goal is to keep the conversation flowing and avoid “stopping points.”
Please make sure your voice is heard by taking a few minutes of your time to complete OEA's online bargaining survey that will help determine our interests before meeting with the district. This survey must be completed by 3:00 on Friday, January 10th. Here's the link again: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CTGD6ZV
Thank you,
Charles Shannon
OEA President
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