Common use of ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS Section 1 – Association Rights Clause in Contracts

ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTS Section 1 – Association Rights. 1.1 The Association shall be the exclusive negotiating representative of the bargaining unit. 1.2 The Association shall be the only employee organization that represents the unit members in their employment relations with the District. 1.3 Normally, all Association business, discussions, and activities will be conducted by unit members or Association officials outside established work hours as defined in Article IV herein. 1.4 The District authorizes the Association to use school and other district facilities at times that do not interfere with the school or district programs upon proper application and provided requested facility is available. 1.5 The District authorizes the Association use of the District electronic and paper mail service (consistent with the Sequoia Union High School District Employee Computer Telephone and Network Use Agreement), school mailboxes, and bulletin board spaces designated by the building supervisor subject to the following conditions: 1.5.1 A courtesy copy of any communication to be distributed or posted shall be delivered to the Superintendent or designee and, if distributed or posted at a school, to the Principal. 1.5.2 Any communication posted or distributed on school or District property shall include the name of the Association, the name of the Association officer authorizing the distribution or posting, and the date. 1.5.3 The Association will not post or distribute information which is derogatory or defamatory of the District or its personnel. Nothing in this section prohibits the Association from posting or distributing an opposing position on policy or procedure. 1.5.4 Normally, use of mail service shall be limited to envelopes addressed to the Association or building representatives and shall not be used for individually addressed material. 1.6 Association officials may contact employees during the normal work day, provided that they do not interrupt the instructional program or other work of the employee. Officials of the Association who are not District employees shall report to the school or Human Resources Office and obtain approval before visiting an employee on the premises of a school or the district office. 1.7 The principal, or at the district office the superintendent, may grant the Association use of district equipment as long as the use of such equipment does not interfere with the normal student instruction or work production at the District. The Association shall pay for the cost of all materials and supplies incident to each use. 1.8 The District agrees to provide one (1) copy of any public document to the Association upon request from the Association and upon reimbursement to the District of all clerical and material costs involved in the duplication of the public document, unless the Superintendent or designee determines that said document has already been duplicated in such quantity as to make additional charges unnecessary. 1.9 The District agrees to provide the Association up to eight (8) copies of the budget for the ensuing year at the time the budget is under consideration by the Board of Trustees. 1.10 The District agrees to provide one copy of the Board agenda, the agenda background with supportive materials, and the unapproved minutes to the Association as soon as they are available. 1.11 The District agrees to supply the Association with a roster indicating each unit member’s present classification, percent of full time, step and column placement, MA/Ph.D. stipend(s), district-paid benefits and level of coverage, and primary job site by December 1 annually. Neither the District nor the Association will disclose information of a confidential nature. 1.12 Unit members who are official delegates to Association conferences and conventions shall be allowed up to five (5) days leave per year for the entire unit for purposes of attending such conferences and conventions, provided the Association reimburses the District for the cost of the substitute. 1.13 The second Tuesday after school shall be reserved for Association meetings. Both parties agree that, district or school meetings requiring unit member attendance will not be scheduled during this time. 1.14 The District will grant up to three fifths (3/5) leave of absence to the Association president, provided the Association reimburses the District for the calculated average per period teacher cost for each period of leave taken. For the individual on leave, the calculation of the district average teacher cost will include salary, retirement fund contributions, all other benefit premiums, and all fixed charges (salary driven costs). Granting of this leave to the Association president shall not interfere with that unit member’s normal advancement on the salary schedule. Should the Association president return to the classroom, he or she shall have the right to return to his or her former school. The district will make best efforts to return the member to the same or equivalent teaching assignment as he or she had prior to serving as Association president. 1.15 The District agrees to provide the Association with the addresses for unit members as soon as it is administratively practicable after the address roster is completed in the fall. 1.16 The superintendent and/or designee(s) will consult at mutually convenient times with representatives of the Association about topics of mutual interest to both parties. 1.17 No school site may waive any of the terms of this Agreement without the express approval of the Association.