H: Negotiations

HAA:  Negotiations Goals and Objectives



HAA:  Negotiations Goals and Objectives
The Ralston Board of Education will adopt the following guidelines in complying with the provisions of the law.

• The Board will recognize duly elected bargaining representatives of its employees, or unit of employees, and will willingly carry out all provisions of the law.

• The Board will establish guidelines under which these negotiators may negotiate with the duly elected representatives of the employee groups.

• The Board, or its representatives, will prepare proposals representing the recommended action of the Board in response to any proposals received from employee organizations and will negotiate on the subject matter contained therein with the full understanding that the Board need not agree to a proposal or be required to make a concession.

• The Board will direct its bargaining representatives to reach agreement on all matters under consideration when such matters are within the guidelines established by the Board.

• The Board will direct its bargaining team to agree on individual matters only on a temporary basis with final approval to be included only in the final ratified agreement.

• The Board will safeguard the rights of the individual citizen to know what is being negotiated, the effect on the educational program and services of the district, and the cost to the taxpayer.

• The Board will direct its bargaining team to negotiate on all reasonable items.

• The Board will use the provisions of the law as it deems necessary under the circumstances should employees of the district engage in any individual or concerted action to disrupt the program and services of the district.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-24 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-10-12 00:00:00.0 

HB:  Negotiations Legal Status

Sections 79-1287 to 79-1295 may be cited and known as the Nebraska Teachers’ Professional Negotiations Act. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79-1295

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 79-1287 to 79-1296, no board or education or school board of any public school district in the state shall be required to meet or confer with representatives of an organization of certificated school employees unless a majority of the members of such board determines to recognize such organization. Any such recognition shall be and remain in effect for a period of one year. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79-1290

If more than one organization of certificated school employees requests recognition as the representatives of the certificated employees, the board of education or school board may recognize as the representative the organization which has for the last two preceding years enrolled a majority of the certificated school employees as certified by a membership list submitted by the organization to the Superintendent of Schools before the first day of January of each year. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79 1291

A representative organization shall give to the board of education or school board a written request to meet and confer with such board regarding employment and relations with certificated employees. The request to meet and confer shall specify the areas to be discussed by the parties. The board shall have thirty days in which to accept or reject the request in whole or in part, and shall give written notice of its decision. If the board accepts the request, the first meeting shall be held within twenty one days after such acceptance. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79-1292

If the board of education or school board shall determine to meet and confer with representatives of the employee organizations, such meetings shall be good faith negotiations in regard to the matters set forth in the request to meet and confer and the acceptance thereof.

Should such negotiations result in mutual agreement, the matters so agreed upon shall be reduced to written form and signed by a representative of each of the negotiating parties.

If the parties are unable to agree on any such matters, the dispute shall be submitted to a fact finding board composed of one member selected by the board of education or school board, one member selected by the employee organization, and a third member selected by the two members appointed by the parties. If the members appointed by each party fail to agree upon a third member, within ten days after the selection, they may request the State Department of Education to submit a list of five persons deemed qualified to serve as members of such board. Upon receipt of such list, the members selected by the parties shall alternately strike names until one remains, and the person not stricken shall become the third member.

Such fact-finding board shall hear and review the matters relating to the dispute and shall within thirty days render a report of its opinion which shall recommend a basis for settlement of the dispute. Such recommendation shall receive the good faith consideration of the parties as a method of settling the dispute but in no case shall they be binding on the school district. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79-1293

Each board of education or school board of a public school district which shall determine to meet and confer with representatives of an organization of certified employees, shall adopt rules and regulations for the administration of such negotiations under sections 79-1287 to 79-1296. (Laws 1967) Sec. 79-1294

Legal Reference: Statute; 79-1290

HE:  Board Negotiating Agents

The Ralston Board of Education will determine the make-up of its negotiating teams on an annual basis. Negotiating team agents may include Board members, the Superintendent or his/her designee, legal counsel, or outside consultants.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-28 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-09-14 00:00:00.0

HF:  Superintendent's Role in Negotiations

The Superintendent of the Ralston School District will provide the Board of Education with information, counsel, and support personnel as a necessary function of negotiating activities. The Superintendent may be called upon by the Board of Education to take an active role in the negotiation process.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-28 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-09-14 00:00:00.0

HI:  Payment of Negotiations Costs

Expenses in the negotiating process will be borne by the party which incurs the expense except upon the declaration of an impasse in which case all costs of mediation will be shared equally by the Ralston School District and the employee organization.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-28 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-09-14 00:00:00.0 

HK:  Release of Negotiations Information

The Ralston Board of Education has the right to post negotiations information.

First Reading Date: 1998-11-09 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-11-23 00:00:00.0 

HL:  Preliminary Negotiated Agreement

A preliminary negotiated agreement will be submitted to the full Ralston Board of Education for final approval on behalf of the Ralston School District. After ratification by the employee group, it will be signed by the official representatives and become final.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-28 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-09-14 00:00:00.0 

HM:  Announcement of Final Negotiated Agreement

The announcement of each final negotiated agreement shall be issued in a joint press release by the Ralston Board of Education and the recognized employee negotiating organization.

First Reading Date: 1998-08-28 00:00:00.0
Adoption Date: 1998-09-14 00:00:00.0 

HP:  Professional Recognition Agreement

The board shall annually consider the request of the Ralston Education Association to meet and confer as prescribed by law, Section 79-1287. Such request shall be submitted by January 1 of each year to the board.