COMMITTEE REPORTS
COVID: If you are working in a building and you see any unsafe conditions, email President Rego. The forms will be delivered to the administration and the Board. OFT districts across the state are struggling with hybrid/remote and in-person teaching.
ARC (Appraisal Review Committee): Our November 18 meeting was canceled. Nothing new to discuss.
DISCIPLINE (SCOC): You should be doing all referrals in infinite campus to keep track of disruptions in your google meets.
INSURANCE: A meeting has been scheduled for January 20.
MASTER TEACHER: Three teachers have expressed interest in Master Teacher. Two are applying for renewal.
MOBILIZATION:
In our constitution we have standing committees. The committees that we will have active are publicity, grievance, Human rights, legislation committee, and social committee. If you are interested in serving on one of these committees that will meet quarterly please let your steward or an officer know.
OFT (Ohio Federation of Teachers) HB 305 could have provided some relief to CHUH but instead the bill that passed overwhelmingly in the Ohio House will not pass in the Senate. This is unfortunate that Senate leadership claims they need more detailed information since the school funding debacle has gone on for decades.
PTA: PTA council met on November 24. We were not able to be present at that meeting because negotiations were taking place.
SOCIAL: Since we are not able to get together this year we continue to look for new ways to engage our members. We mailed gift cards to members who submitted photos for voting or passing out levy literature.
STRIKE COMMITTEE: The strike committee went above and beyond for our membership. There is no way that everything would have run so smoothly if it wasn’t for all of their efforts and the countless hours they put in through the summer and many evenings throughout the school year.
SUMMIT: There is no Summit meeting scheduled for December. We will reconvene in January.
1. Grievances and Unfair Labor Practices
a) Monitor Epidemic Pay -A class grievance was filed on behalf of Monitors for being denied time and a half pay for hours worked during the school closure, as specified in the Monitor contract. A step 2 hearing was held June 29 and the grievance was denied on July 6. The District’s argument is that schools were not closed - they were only closed to students. Step 3 mediation took place on September 15 and we were unable to come to a resolution. Our Executive Board voted to take this grievance to Step 4, Arbitration. An arbitrator has been selected and the arbitration is scheduled for Feb 25.
c) Long Term Substitute IPA Pay - the Union filed a class grievance on April 6, 2020, because we found out that long term-substitutes were not receiving the Independent Professional Activity pay, to which they are contractually entitled. A step 2 hearing was held on May 15, 2020, and the grievance was denied on May 22. The grievance led to a new language in our newly ratified contract, so the grievance is settled.
d) 1% Pickup -The Union filed a class grievance on October 9, 2020, due to the implementation of the elimination of our 1% STRS pickup. A Step 2 hearing was held and denied by the administration. Step 3 mediation was held on December 2. The grievance was withdrawn on December 9 as the newly negotiated agreement settled the matter
e) Grievance - Right to Representation - The Union filed a grievance on November 4, 2020, after a fact-finding where the administration would not allow the member’s union representatives to speak. The member has the right to fair representation which means the union rep can ask clarifying questions and bring up facts on behalf of the member. A step 2 hearing was held on November 19, 2020 and was denied by the administration. The Union has moved this grievance to a step 3 meditation on January 6.
f) Unfair Labor Practice High School Counselors- We filed a ULP on July 9, 2020, based on changes that were made requiring duties of high school counselors to take on the job responsibilities of the high school testing coordinator. The Board and Union have asked the State Employees Relations Board to wait until the conclusion of our contract negotiations since the matter was resolved through one of our tentative agreements. The ULP was withdrawn on December 9 as part of the negotiated agreement.
g) Unfair Labor Practice 1% pickup reduction- The Union filed a ULP on October 9, 2020, due to the implementation of the Board’s “last, final, best” contract offer which included the removal of our 1% STRS pickup. The ULP was withdrawn as part of the negotiated agreement.
h) Notice to Negotiate - Subcontracting - The Union filed a notice to negotiate on October 12. the District’s use of substitute teachers who were not covering the responsibilities of absent teachers. The administration met with the Union on October 14, 2020, even though they disagreed that any subcontracting was taking place. At the meeting, we were told (for the very first time) that these substitutes were only hired for the first day that SPED teachers were providing in-person teaching. The Union withdrew the notice after we confirmed these were not meant to be a long term position.
2. Fact-Findings/Discipline
a) A member was called into a fact-finding on October 1, 2020, for alleged violation of absence procedures. We are waiting on a disposition.
b) A member was called into a fact-finding on November 2, 2020, for concerns around attendance and grading procedures. We are waiting on a disposition.
Monitor Contract:
Monitor negotiations will continue on December 15th. We have tentative agreements on language items. We have yet to agree on salary and benefits. In past years the monitor's contract has matched the teacher’s contract in salary changes and benefits.
NEXT EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING: January 21, 2021