Signed by Governor Janet Mills

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes educational policies related to preparation and planning time and transfer of teachers to be subjects of collective bargaining negotiations.

Highlights:

• Specifies educational policies related to preparation and planning time and transfer of teachers are permissive subjects of negotiation but not wages, hours, working conditions or contract grievance arbitration (Sec. 1.C).

• Establishes the obligation of public employers of teachers and the bargaining agent to meet and consult is governed by the following (Sec. 2-1-A):

• A public employer of teachers shall give written notice to the bargaining agent when a change in educational policy is planned by the public employer of teachers. Upon receipt of the written notice, the bargaining agent may initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the public employer of teachers, including the superintendent. The public employer of teachers may also initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the bargaining agent;

• The public employer of teachers shall, upon receipt of a request from the bargaining agent, provide to the bargaining agent information necessary for the bargaining agent and the employees to understand the planned change and make suggestions or express concerns about the planned change;

• When notice to initiate the meet and consult process is given, authorized representatives of the public employer of teachers and the bargaining agent shall meet and consult at reasonable times and places about the planned change. The parties shall meet and consult openly, honestly and in good faith, and the public employer of teachers shall consider the employees' suggestions and concerns;

• The authorized representatives of the public employer of teachers shall give full and fair consideration to the employees' suggestions and concerns before the change in educational policy is implemented, and the public employer of teachers shall decide in good faith whether employees' suggestions or concerns can be accommodated; and

• The bargaining agent may initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the public employer of teachers when an existing educational policy of the public employer is changed by practice or if the written notice is inadvertently omitted.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes educational policies related to preparation and planning time and transfer of teachers to be subjects of collective bargaining negotiations.

Highlights:

• Specifies educational policies related to preparation and planning time and transfer of teachers are permissive subjects of negotiation but not wages, hours, working conditions or contract grievance arbitration (Sec. 1.C).

• Establishes the obligation of public employers of teachers and the bargaining agent to meet and consult is governed by the following (Sec. 2-1-A):

• A public employer of teachers shall give written notice to the bargaining agent when a change in educational policy is planned by the public employer of teachers. Upon receipt of the written notice, the bargaining agent may initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the public employer of teachers, including the superintendent. The public employer of teachers may also initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the bargaining agent;

• The public employer of teachers shall, upon receipt of a request from the bargaining agent, provide to the bargaining agent information necessary for the bargaining agent and the employees to understand the planned change and make suggestions or express concerns about the planned change;

• When notice to initiate the meet and consult process is given, authorized representatives of the public employer of teachers and the bargaining agent shall meet and consult at reasonable times and places about the planned change. The parties shall meet and consult openly, honestly and in good faith, and the public employer of teachers shall consider the employees' suggestions and concerns;

• The authorized representatives of the public employer of teachers shall give full and fair consideration to the employees' suggestions and concerns before the change in educational policy is implemented, and the public employer of teachers shall decide in good faith whether employees' suggestions or concerns can be accommodated; and

• The bargaining agent may initiate the meet and consult process by notifying the public employer of teachers when an existing educational policy of the public employer is changed by practice or if the written notice is inadvertently omitted.

Full Bill Text