After laboring without a contract three weeks into the school year, more than 450 Morgan Hill Unified School District teachers represented by union officials began talks with district officials to negotiate for better working conditions.
Morgan Hill Unified School District Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Jay Totter said the date had been set long ago, although Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers Union President Donna Ruebusch has begged to differ.
Ruebusch was aghast in August when school began without a single negotiation session having occurred. Such a delay had never happened before, she said.
The union has three-year contracts. The contract opener, the first step in negotiations for the new contract that would have started with the 2008-09 school year, happened in May. According to Ruebusch the district dragged its feet in setting a date for negotiations to begin. A June date had been canceled abruptly, she said. Totter, though, said the June date hadn't been confirmed.
Ruebusch said the union would focus on improved teacher input and staff development time in the negotiations, since there's not enough money to ask for a raise.
The union's workers - all Morgan Hill Unified teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians - will work under the old contract until a new one is set.
Totter said 17 contract negotiation dates have been set through May 26 but that the contract could be settled before then. The dates are spaced out, with a week between for preparation, he said.
Ruebusch said district officials are misrepresenting how willing they're being in the negotiation of setting negotiation dates.
"That's true," she said of the 17 set dates. "But that doesn't mean it's adequate time or that it's timely."
Two harried issues make Ruebusch more anxious to plunge into. About 18 months ago, the federation approached Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB, about two unfair labor practices union officials believed the district had going. One involves excluding teachers in decision-making processes regarding curriculum and the other involves direct dealing, or when the district assigns a teacher work without going through the union. Ruebusch said the district claimed these issues were "ripe for negotiations" and so the union agreed to bring it up again during contract negotiations. The two cases are in abeyance at the state board level.
Natalie Everett covers education and city issues for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett covers education and city issues for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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