Rationale for Opening Negotiations Spring 2009

* Negotiations offers a chance for Teachers to be part of the solution.

* Our contract has a provision that a change in class size funding from the State triggers re-negotiation. For the last few years class size funding has been reduced and will be cut further this year. That seems to fall into the provisions of Article 18.6.

* Regarding meeting to discuss shared contracts:
There is no trigger language in the contract compelling us to grant the district request to meet to discuss article 22. However, there is a good faith reason to agree to meet to discuss shared contracts and to seek solutions. And there is some shaky contract language regarding the additional workdays that shared contract teachers currently get. It states that the shared assignment team may be compensated for up to 10 days. "May" and "for up to" are contract wiggle room words.

* We may need to meet with the district, to show them that we are committed to interest based bargaining, even if it is not our problem that triggers the meeting.