ASSOCIATION AND TEACHER RIGHTS A. Pursuant to the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act, the Board hereby agrees that every employee of the Board shall have the right freely to organize, join and support the Association for the purpose of engaging in collective bargaining or negotiation and other concerted activities for mutual aid and protection. As a duly elected body exercising governmental power under color of law of the State of Michigan, the Board undertakes and agrees that it will not directly or indirectly discourage or deprive or coerce any teacher in the enjoyment of any rights conferred by the Act or other laws of Michigan or the Constitution of Michigan and the United States; that it will not discriminate against any teacher with respect to hours, wages, or any terms or conditions of employment by reason of his membership in the Association, the teacher's participation in any activities of the Association or collective professional negotiations with the Board, or their institution of any grievance, complaint or proceeding under this Agreement or otherwise with respect to any terms or conditions of employment. B. Nothing contained herein shall be construed to deny or restrict to any teacher rights he may have under the Michigan General School Laws or other applicable laws and regulations. The rights granted to teachers hereunder shall be deemed to be in addition to those provided elsewhere. C. The local Xxxxxxxx Education Association and its representatives shall have the right to use school buildings at all reasonable after school hours for meetings, provided that when special custodial service is required, the Board may make a reasonable charge therefore, provided that this shall not interfere with or interrupt normal school operations. D. Duly authorized representatives of the Association and their respective affiliates shall be permitted to transact official Association business on school property at all reasonable times, provided that this shall not interfere with or interrupt normal school operations. E. The Association shall have the exclusive right to post notices of activities and matters of Association concern on teacher bulletin boards, at least one of which shall be provided in each school building. The Association may use the district intra-mail service and teacher mail boxes for communications to teachers. F. The Board agrees to make available to the Association in response to reasonable requests all public information concerning the financial resources of the district, including but not limited to: annual financial reports and audits, register of certificated personnel, tentative budgetary requirements and allocations (including county allocation board budgets), agendas and minutes of all Board meetings, treasurer's reports, census and membership data, names and addresses of all teachers, salaries paid thereto and educational background, and such other information as will assist the Association in developing intelligent, accurate, informed and constructive programs on behalf of the teachers and their students, together with information which may be necessary for the Association to process any grievance or complaint. G. The Board may consult with the Association on any new or modified fiscal, budgetary or tax programs, construction programs, or major revisions of educational policy, which are proposed or under consideration and the Association may be given opportunity to advise the Board with respect to said matters prior to their adoption and/or general publication. The Board shall not submit any proposal for additional operational or building millage without prior consultation with the Association. H. The provisions of this Agreement shall be applied without regard to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, sex and/or marital status. Membership in the Association shall not be denied to any teacher because of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, sex and/or marital status. I. The rights granted herein to the Association shall not be granted or extended to any competing labor organization. J. The Board shall place on the agenda of each regular board meeting as the first or second item for consideration under "new business" any matters brought to its consideration by the Association so long as those matters are made known to the Superintendent's Office six (6) calendar days prior to said regular meeting. K. The Association shall have a maximum of eleven (11) days total each school year of released time without loss of pay for officers, delegates, committee chairpersons, and/or members to take part in business which pertains to the Association. The Association President shall make all requests on behalf of Association members. The Association shall provide at least five (5) days prior notice. The Association shall pay the substitute fee. Substitutes will be obtained through regular channels.
Association Establishment and all other expenses of the Association and also similar expenses of the Maintenance In-charge looking after the common purposes, until handing over the same to the Association.
Mediation and Arbitration If the Executive and the Employer have any dispute whatsoever relating to the interpretation, validity or performance of this Agreement, or any other dispute arising out of this Agreement, every reasonable attempt will be made to resolve any differences or dispute within thirty (30) days of an issuance of written notice by either party to the other party. If a successful resolution of any differences or dispute has not been achieved to the satisfaction of both parties at the end of the thirty (30) day period, the following steps will be used: Except as otherwise expressly provided hereunder, the parties agree that any and all disputes arising out of the Executive’s employment or cessation of employment, including but not limited to any dispute, controversy, or claim arising under any federal, state, or local statute, law, ordinance or regulation or under this Agreement, shall be resolved exclusively by Alternative Dispute Resolution described in this Agreement ("ADR"). The initiation of ADR shall first require mediation, and the parties agree to first try to settle any dispute through mediation. Mediation shall be initiated by either party by the serving of a written notice of intent to mediate (a "Mediation Notice") by one party upon the other. If no resolution has been mutually agreed through mediation within ninety (90) days of service of a Mediation Notice, then and only then may the dispute be submitted to arbitration. Arbitration shall be initiated by the serving of a written notice of intent to arbitrate (an "Arbitration Notice") by one party upon the other. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to preclude the Employer from seeking temporary or permanent injunctive relief and/or damages from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement with respect to any breach of Section 7 of this Agreement. (a) In the event that a party wishes to initiate ADR, a Mediation Notice must be served on the other party within six months from the date on which the claim arose. If the parties cannot mutually agree on a mediator, then a mediator shall be selected in accordance with the Employment Mediation Rules of the American Arbitration Association. (b) In the event that mediation is unsuccessful and arbitration is initiated, it shall be conducted under the National Rules of the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association. There shall be a single arbitrator to be agreed upon by the parties, provided that, if the parties are unable to agree upon a single arbitrator, each party shall name an arbitrator and the two so named shall name a third arbitrator. The arbitration proceedings shall be heard by the arbitrator(s) and the decision of the arbitrator, or the majority of the panel if one has been selected, shall be final and binding on the parties. Judgment upon the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. An Arbitration Notice must be served on the other party within one year from the date on which the claim arose, and failure to bring such a claim within such one-year period shall constitute a waiver of such claim and an absolute bar to any further proceedings in any forum with respect to it. All mediation and arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in Bangor, Maine, unless the parties otherwise agree in writing. (c) The cost of any mediation proceeding under this Section 9 shall be paid entirely by the Employer. The cost of any arbitration proceeding will be shared equally by the parties to the dispute; provided, however, that, if the dispute is resolved in favor of the Executive, such cost shall be paid in full by the Employer. Each party shall be responsible for its own cost of representation and counsel.