Labor Management Relations The Employer and the Union recognize that the character and quality of the Union/Management relationship in each Agency has an impact upon productivity and quality services. Accordingly, the parties agree to support joint Labor/Management training in skills and concepts which may contribute to increased Union/Management understanding and cooperative relationships.
Labor Management Labor/management meetings will be held at the request of either party as needed/monthly.
LABOUR MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 9:01 No employee or group of employees shall undertake to represent the Union at meetings with the Employer without the proper authorization of the Union. The Employer shall not meet with any employee or group of employees undertaking to represent the Union without the proper authorization of the Union. In representing an employee or group of employees, a representative of the Union shall be the spokesperson. In order that this may be carried out, the Union shall supply the Employer with the names of its Officers and representatives. Likewise the Employer shall supply the Union with a list of its Designated Authorities and Chairs where the Chair is not the Designated Authority. Neither the Union nor the Employer shall be required to recognize such representatives until written notification has been received.
9:02 The Union and the Employer acknowledge the mutual benefit of joint consultation and agree, therefore, that there shall be a joint labour/management committee consisting of three (3) representatives from and selected by each party. There shall be one (1) regularly scheduled Labour/Management Committee meeting in each four (4) month term or semester (January to April, May to August, September to December). In addition, meetings shall be arranged at the request of either party through the Labour Relations Department, by submitting in writing the topics to be discussed. Such meetings shall take place, at a mutually-agreeable time, within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the request for the meeting. Meetings shall not be used to discuss matters which are the subject of a grievance nor to discuss any matters which are, at the time, the subject of collective bargaining. The committee shall function in an advisory capacity only, making recommendations to the Union and/or the Employer with respect to its discussions and conclusions, and shall not have the power to add to or modify the terms of this agreement. A representative of each party shall be designated Co-Chairperson, and the two persons so designated shall alternate in presiding over meetings.
EMPLOYEE EVALUATIONS 6.1 Administrators will meet with new employees to discuss their job description within one (1) month of hire. The Administrator and new employee will sign off on the job description and it will be forwarded to the Human Resources Department for inclusion in the employee‘s personnel file. The Human Resources Department will compile and distribute a list showing each employee‘s evaluator prior to November 1st of each year. Bargaining unit job descriptions will be made available via the District‘s web site.
6.2 Evaluations will transpire as follows for employees that are receiving satisfactory ratings:
a. New hires—regular part-time (school year employees) will be evaluated at three (3) and six (6) working months.
b. New hires—full time (12 month employees) will be evaluated at three (3), six (6) and twelve (12) months.
c. After the initial year of employment, each employee shall be evaluated at least once annually by March 31st.
6.3 Criteria for evaluating bargaining unit members will be based on the performance categories outlined on the evaluation form as related to the job description of their specific position assignment.
6.4 Evaluation reports shall include feedback regarding strengths and weaknesses (if any) demonstrated by the employee. Prior to an employee receiving a rating less than “Meets Expectations,” the employee shall be advised of the performance concern and provided with a clear statement of any deficiency and a statement defining acceptable performance. This shall occur within a reasonable time prior to the final evaluation to allow the employee a chance to demonstrate improvement.
6.5 In the event an employee is evaluated overall as “Does Not Meet Expectations,” the district, in consultation with the employee and the Association, will provide the employee a written plan of improvement (See Employee Plan of Improvement form in Appendix). The plan shall clearly define all areas of deficiency, provide clear and attainable performance goals, and outline supports (if any) to be given, including any necessary training at the District’s expense. The employee will be given a reasonable amount of time, not to exceed sixty (60) working days, to meet job performance expectations. During the improvement period, feedback will be provided through a minimum of three scheduled meetings. Following the completion of the plan, the supervisor shall notify the employee in writing of the outcome. Failure to demonstrate satisfactory improvement may constitute grounds for termination.
6.6 The bargaining unit member shall be given a copy of their evaluation, and any data collection sheets (with the submitters name excluded) used in the evaluation.
6.7 Under the law there is no right to Association Representation at evaluation conferences.
6.8 Any information shared with the evaluating administrator for the evaluation process shall be recorded on Data Collection Sheet(s), with the exception of those unit members that have supervising teachers. Supervising teachers will work directly with the evaluating administrator to share performance information for inclusion in the unit member‘s evaluation.
6.9 Employees shall have the right to respond to evaluations in writing. Such written response shall be attached to the evaluation if received within 5 days.
6.10 No bargaining unit member shall be required to sign a blank or incomplete evaluation form.
EMPLOYEE EVALUATION A. Formal evaluation of employees shall be in writing and shall be for the purpose of establishing a record of the employee’s work performance. The evaluation may include but is not limited to: establishing performance standards and outcome measures, recognition of an employee’s efforts, as well as planning for improvement. Issues of attendance and punctuality may be addressed if they have previously been discussed with the employee. The employee’s job description shall be a basis for the evaluation.
B. The evaluator shall review the written evaluation with the employee and provide the employee with a copy. The employee shall sign the evaluation acknowledging receipt. If the employee has objections to the evaluation, s/he, may within twenty (20) working days following receipt of the evaluation put such objections in writing and have them attached to the evaluation report and placed in his/her personnel file.
C. The frequency of evaluations shall be determined by the District and generally occur every other year by April 1st for bargaining unit employees. If the District chooses to do so, it may conduct formal evaluations on an annual basis. An employee may request to receive one (1) annual evaluation. Such request shall be in writing to the employee’s supervisor with a copy to the Human Resources Department.
D. The Human Resources Department will consult with the Federation in developing an outline of best practices to be used in conducting employee evaluations.
E. When the District determines that an employee’s work performance is unsatisfactory, it shall inform the employee in writing of any deficiency and the improvement expected and provide the employee with the opportunity to correct the unsatisfactory performance within a reasonable time period established by the District.
F. The judgment of an employee’s work performance by an evaluating supervisor shall not be the subject of a grievance. A grievance concerning an evaluation shall be limited to an allegation that the evaluation was done in bad faith or clearly untrue. The burden of proof shall rest with the grievant. Such grievance shall be filed at the next administrative level above that of the evaluator and that administrator shall provide a written decision within ten (10) working days of any hearing. If the grievance is not resolved, it may be appealed by submitting a written statement to the Human Resources Department within ten (10) working days following receipt of the administrative written decision. The written statement must clearly set forth why the previous decision is in error regarding the allegation of bad faith or being clearly untrue. The Director of Labor Relations, or designee, may review the record of the grievance and/or conduct a hearing and shall issue a written decision within ten (10) working days following such review or hearing. Such decision shall be final.
G. Effective July 1, 2013, Sign Language Interpreters will be evaluated using the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) pursuant to OAR 581-015-2035 and/or the District’s evaluation form.
Labor-Management Cooperation When an Appointing Authority initiates a planning process or management study which is anticipated to result in layoff, the Appointing Authority will meet and confer with the Local Union during the decision planning phase and again during the implementation planning phase. The Appointing Authority and the Local Union shall enter into negotiations regarding a Memoranda of Understanding upon request of either party to modify this Agreement regarding the implementation plans which shall include, but are not limited to, the following: • Length of layoff notice; • Job and retraining opportunities; • Alternative placement methods; • Early retirement options pursuant to M.S. 43A.24, Subd. 2(i); • Bumping/vacancy options for part-time employees to preserve their insurance eligibility or contribution; and • Other methods of mitigating layoff or their effect on employees.
Employee Grievance If an employee considers there has been a significant change to the job content of the position held, the employee may initiate a grievance by using Step 1 of the Grievance Procedure. If the issue is not resolved at this step, the Job Classification Review Procedure of Article 22.02(B) above shall be utilized.
Management Grievance The Employer may initiate a grievance at Step 3 of the grievance procedure by the Employer or designate presenting the grievance to the President of the Union or designate. Time limits and process are identical to a union grievance.
Industrial Relations Training Leave Union Delegate/Employee Representative shall have access to industrial relations training in accordance with Appendix E hereof.
LABOR/MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES A. Statewide
