Claims Procedures Each Party entitled to be indemnified by the other Party (an “Indemnified Party”) pursuant to Section 8.1 or 8.2 hereof shall give notice to the other Party (an “Indemnifying Party”) promptly after such Indemnified Party has actual knowledge of any threatened or asserted claim as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the Indemnifying Party to assume the defense of any such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom; provided:
(a) That counsel for the Indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, shall be approved by the Indemnified Party (whose approval shall not unreasonably be withheld) and the Indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such party’s expense (unless (i) the employment of counsel by such Indemnified Party has been authorized by the Indemnifying Party; or (ii) the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the Indemnifying Party and the Indemnified Party in the defense of such action, in each of which cases the Indemnifying Party shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of one law firm serving as counsel for the Indemnified Party, which law firm shall be subject to approval, not to be unreasonably withheld, by the Indemnifying Party); and
(b) The failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Agreement to the extent that the failure to give notice did not result in harm to the Indemnifying Party.
(c) No Indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the approval of each Indemnified Party which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which (i) would result in injunctive or other relief being imposed against the Indemnified Party; or (ii) does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnified Party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
(d) Each Indemnified Party shall furnish such information regarding itself or the claim in question as an Indemnifying Party may reasonably request in writing and shall be reasonably required in connection with the defense of such claim and litigation resulting therefrom.
NEGOTIATIONS PROCEDURES A. The parties agreed to implement a Collaborative Bargaining Process beginning with the 1998- 99 fiscal year within the authority of Chapter 447 of the Florida Statutes and any appropriate rules and procedures. Salary and fringe benefits shall be automatically reopened each year, as well as any provisions imposed by the Board. In compliance with requirements that tentative agreement items must be formally ratified, the parties agree to establish the following protocol:
1. Formal ratification votes on tentative agreement(s) by the parties shall be held as needed.
2. Interim decisions to implement agreements before formal ratification shall be confirmed in writing in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding.
3. Issues may be raised for consideration through an appropriate process at any time during the length of this ratified agreement.
B. If negotiations reach impasse, the procedures as set forth in the Florida Statutes and/or the rules of the Public Employees Relations Commission shall be followed. At the request of either party, a mediator shall be appointed.
C. Neither party shall have any control over the selection of the bargaining representatives of the other party, and the parties mutually pledge that their representatives will be empowered to reach tentative agreement on items being negotiated. Should either party utilize the services of outside consultants to assist in negotiations, the party using the consultants shall pay for any cost incurred for such services.
D. This Contract may not be modified in whole or in part except by mutual written agreement.
E. If any provision or application of this Contract is held to be contrary to law, then such provision or application shall not be deemed valid and subsisting except to the extent permitted by law, but all other provisions or applications shall continue in full force and effect. The parties shall either immediately meet to reopen negotiations on that provision or application or mutually agree to deal with the matter in subsequent negotiations.
F. The agreements in this Contract shall supersede any rules, regulations, or practices of the Board which are contrary to or inconsistent with the terms recorded herein.
G. There shall be two official signed copies of the final ratified Contract, one to be retained by each of the parties. The Board agrees to print one thousand five hundred (1,500) copies of the current Contract for distribution to new hires. A link will be provided to all employees during pre-planning each school year. The Association will be provided 500 copies of the full contract each year.
H. If bargaining is mutually scheduled during the teacher duty day, up to eleven members of the Association’s bargaining team shall be granted release time for travel, caucusing, and attendance at bargaining sessions. The parties shall mutually agree on parameters to release from duty Association team members following bargaining sessions which extend late.
I. Tentative agreements shall be reduced to writing and submitted for ratification, within an agreed upon time, to the employees and to the Board. Failure to ratify tentative agreements shall make such tentative agreements null and void.
1. The parties may agree to submit packages of tentative agreements for ratification to the employees and the Board at any time.
2. If impasse is declared, the parties shall meet to review any pending tentative agreements unrelated to the impasse and to consider their submission for ratification as outlined in Section 1. above, prior to a special master hearing and prior to a public hearing.
J. During the term of this Contract the Association and the Board recognize that events may arise which require a mutual interpretation or modification of this Contract that does not constitute a substantive change in employees’ salaries or benefits. Under these circumstances, the parties are authorized to enter into a settlement agreement or memorandum of understanding expressing these interpretations or modifications. If such are entered into during the term of this Contract, they will remain in effect until expiration of the Contract, until superseded by the Contract, or until mutually withdrawn by the parties.
K. Operating Procedures and Guidelines:
1. The Collaborative Bargaining Leadership Team (CBLT) shall be composed of equal numbers of CTA members and District personnel.
2. The CBLT mutually agrees to coordinate and participate in appropriate training opportunities designed to support the process and/or build skills essential to the success of the process. The CBLT may utilize the services of consultants to assist in the negotiations. Any cost incurred shall be shared equally by the parties.
3. Define consensus as a status in which all members can support the decision and use consensus as the preferred decision making strategy in all decisions.
4. Operate as an open forum to identify, explore and resolve issues of importance to CTA and the District using District personnel as resources. The CBLT will solicit and value input from personnel affected by the outcome of the process.
5. All monies, except for School Recognition Dollars allocated by the Legislature as “bonus” and/or “incentive money” for teachers, shall be subject to discussion by the Collaborative Bargaining Leadership Team before distribution.
6. The CBLT will establish committees and will receive, review and make final decisions on recommendations from appropriate committees. All decisions are to be supported by data from those committees. All committee meetings will be accurately recorded.
7. Communicate with employees through a variety of mediums.
8. There will be a notice to the CBLT participants before either party communicates any specific issues generated or discussed during the CBLT process unless it is mutually agreed to amend this timeline.
L. Provisions to submit issues to the CBLT
1. Employees shall submit issues to the CBLT using the Issues for Submission form found on the CBLT websites: xxxxx://xxx.xxxx.xxx/es/legislative/laborrelations/Pages/default.aspx and xxx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx.
2. Forms may be found at individual work locations or the Association office.
3. The CBLT shall determine the appropriate action to be taken and notify the submitting party of such action.
M. Committees of the CBLT
1. Committees shall be composed of equal numbers of CTA members and District personnel.
2. Committees will receive and undertake activities to execute the specific charge from the CBLT. Each party shall select a member that will act as a co-chair for each committee.
3. Committees shall welcome employees who might be affected by the issue to attend and provide information as a resource. Committees may invite outside resources as necessary.
4. Committees shall identify options supported by data to be recommended to the CBLT.
5. Committees shall keep accurate records of all committee meetings.
6. Committees and Task Forces
a. Standing Committees The Collaborative Bargaining Leadership Team has established standing committees to field issues and concerns from their stakeholders. The committees meet on a regular basis to discuss issues and to collect data to support their recommendations. Each committee presents periodic reports and recommendations to the Collaborative Bargaining Leadership Team. The committees are as follows:
1.) Finance and Compensation 2.) Assessment
