Board OKs collective bargaining, ballot issues

After over four years of struggle, the teachers in the Columbia School District can finally have a vote to elect an exclusive representative.  Yes!

 Columbia Tribune
By CATHERINE MARTIN
Published January 9, 2012

The Columbia Board of Education approved collective bargaining policies Monday, including one that calls for teachers to elect an exclusive representative.

Policy HA was approved outlining the process of collective bargaining, and Policy HH calls for an exclusive representative.

The district previously did not have a collective-bargaining policy and instead used a “meet-and-confer” approach. In May 2007, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled that public employees, including teachers and educational support staff, have a constitutional right to collectively bargain. Teachers can request to exercise that right at any time, and that prompted the district to consider adopting a policy.

The two polices were approved with a 5-1 vote, with Board Member Jan Mees voting in opposition to the policies. Board member Michelle Pruitt was absent from the meeting.

Members of the Columbia Missouri State Teachers Association, including a few who spoke up Monday night, have repeatedly objected to an exclusive representation policy, citing fears that their voices would be left out if another group was elected as representative.

“When our policy … has the option for exclusive representation, we’re setting up a precedent where we automatically rule out some voices,” said Marilyn Andre, CMSTA liaison to the board.

Superintendent Chris Belcher stressed that ultimately the decision will still be up to the teachers through a vote. He emphasized that the policy is not calling for the creation of unions of exclusive representation but is only outlining a process for collective bargaining if teachers were to ask for that right.

The board also approved two items to go on the April ballot – a 40-cent tax levy increase and a $50 million bond issue, which would likely mean a 12-cent tax increase.

Funds from the bond issue would be used to pay for facilities such as an additional new elementary school, which would likely open in 2016, an early childhood center and additions to existing schools, such as Shepard Boulevard and West Boulevard elementary schools. Altogether the projects would eliminate at least 28 classroom trailers.

The bond issue is part of a 10-year long-range plan that accounts for growth and would eliminate all trailers from the district by 2020.

“We know we want to be out of the business of trailers,” board member Jonathan Sessions said. “We know they are inefficient. We know they are breaking down. We want our students in bricks-and-mortar buildings.”

The tax levy would go toward operation costs such as salaries and programs.

“We’ve talked about this for two years, and I think a 40-cent increase is necessary to maintain and sustain the programs we have,” Belcher said.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2012/jan/09/board-oks-teacher-collective-bargaining-policies/