Your Union.....Your Voice
The greatest area where you can exercise the power of standing united is in your own local bargain. Collective bargaining is your opportunity to have an equal voice in wages, hours and working conditions- offering the chance to make significant improvements to your classroom and work environment. As an educator, you have a vital voice that must be heard in shaping our schools.
Bargaining Gains
Collective bargaining is responsible for a wide range of improvements. Here are some gains that many locals have won through bargaining:
- Strong non-discrimination rights
- Paid leaves including sick leave, emergency leave, personal leave, child birth and many others
- Defined evaluation procedures and criteria
- Class size guidelines including consideration of special needs students
- Specific work days and hours
- Safety provisions to protect staff and students
- Academic freedom
- Additional pay for extra time and responsibilities
- Fair grievance procedures
- "Just cause" provisions protecting teachers from being unfairly disciplined
- Fair layoff and recall provisions
- Inservice training opportunities
- Job posting and transfer rights
- Prohibition against assigning teachers non-teaching duties
- Fringe benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurances and more