5. Collective Bargaining
Definition: A process of negotiations between employers and
a group of employees (a union) aimed at reaching
agreements that regulate working conditions.
Major Certificated Unions in CA
• California Teachers Association (CTA): Membership 340,000.
Affiliated with National Education Assn (NEA)
• California Federation of Teachers (CFT): Formed as a labor
alternative to CTA which included school administrators. 120,000
members. Affiliated with:
Amer. Fed, Teachers (AFT)
• United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA): 35,000 members.
Originally CTA/CFT blend.
6. CTA History of Activism in CA
• 1866 – Free public school in CA
• 1867 – Free public schools for non-whites
• 1878 – Bans public funds for religious schools
• 1911 – Free textbooks for all students 1-8
• 1912 – Teacher tenure and due process
• 1913 – CA State Teacher’s Retirement System
• 1975 – Collective Bargaining – Educational
Employee Relations Act (Rodda Act)
A force in defeating voucher initiatives, passing
school bonds and propositions. Passed Prop. 98
in 1988 – guarantees that 40% of general funds
go to schools.
7. Educational
Employee Relations Act
A compromise between public education unions and employers.
Established the Educational Employee Relations Board (EERB)
Duties: Meet & consult, good faith bargaining, sunshining
Established the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB)
Scope of Bargaining:
Health and welfare benefits Leaves
Transfer and reassignment Safety conditions
Class size Evaluation procedures
Organizational security Grievance procedures
Probationary certificated
employee layoffs
9. • Insert l min clip on animation of 2
individuals speaking about union.
• “Parody” --- Jon’s video.
10. Salary Cuts
• Governor Jerry Brown facing $15.7 Billion
deficit through June 2013.
• Teacher’s salary cut 5.5% statewide for
the 2011-2012 school year. This
surpasses the 3% cut from the previous
school year.
• About 37 school districts across California
recorded teacher pay cuts during the last
school year.
11. Class Sizes
• Approximately 15,000 teachers cut last
school year across the state.
• Most cuts came from the top and bottom
of the pay scale.
• Cuts = larger class sizes
• Larger class sizes = less individualized
attention to the students
12. Furlough Days
-In an attempt to balance their budgets,
many school districts have offered to
shorten their school year.
-The number of furlough days varies by
each district. The number of furlough days
for upcoming school years depends on the
outcome of the November ballot measure
-Furloughs= less instructional days. They
affect various stakeholders.
15. Class Exercise….or case study
• Groups of 4-6.
• Take Union or School Board Position
on these issues: Merit Pay, Tenure,
Length of CB agreement, Furlough Days
• Each group faces a budget cut of 15% in
each of next 2 years. History: Mistrust.
• Make up data that supports your position
• What flexibility will you show and why
16. Collective Bargaining 5 Core
Phases
Harvard Law School’s Program on Negotiation:
I. Preparation and Framing. both the school board and union
examine their own situation. Develop the issues that they believe
will be most important, including assessing ‘your interests as well
as the interests of the other side’;
II. Bargaining Over How to Bargain. Decide the ground rules for
negotiations. Logistics are determined: e.g.rules for secrecy
III. Opening and Exploring. Opening statements, possible options
that exist. Brainstorming.
IV. Focusing and Agreeing. The ‘what ifs’ and ‘supposals’ set forth
and the draft agreements are created.
V. Implementation and Administration. Effective joint implementation
through visions, strategic planning and negotiated change.
17. From Negotiators: The Relationship
“Try to remember and envision that [union representatives]
are people who care about kids and families and are
trying to do the right things.
They are not the enemy. I think it helps you to try to work
toward reaching solutions that you both can live with.
Are you ever going to get your ideal? Rarely ever, but you’ll
be able to reach positions that you both can live with.
I don’t think you can emphasize enough the importance of
the relationship piece in bargaining “
You will want to look at the long‑range history, and where
[you have] been in the last 10, 15, 20 years. …
18. • Insert 30 sec - l min clip of 2 twin
babies????? Collective bargaining
19. Public Opinion…Wisconsin
• Republican Gov. Scott Walker made his case about fiscal
implications of collective bargaining. His office highlighted some of
the most outrageous behavior that unions have institutionalized
• Milwaukee teacher Megan Sampson’: Less than a week after the
Wisconsin Council of English Teachers named Sampson its
“Outstanding First Year Teacher,” she lost her job. The cause?
Sampson got the pink slip because she lacked seniority.
• The school’s collective bargaining agreement left no choice.
Decisions had to be based on seniority rather than merit.
• the teachers’ union refused to accept a lower-cost health care plan.
• Sampson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
• “Given the given the opportunity,
of course I would switch to a
different plan to save my job,
or the jobs of 10 other teachers.”
21. When Negotiations Fail…
• Vary by State:
• IMPASSE: Good faith efforts fail.
• MEDIATION: Neutral 3rd party to assist. Lack
power for binding agreement.
• FACT FINDING to ARBITRATION: Arbitrator
decisions can be binding.
• STRIKES: if impasse resolution fails, teachers
may strike to persuade/coerce. If illegal in the
state, financial sanctions/fines permitted.
• LOCKOUT: Employer tactic counter to strikes.