Bargaining Updates

Northern Rivers, Do the Right Thing! Invest in Staff, Invest in Students!

Join us to build stability, respect, and security together.

What We’ve Won So Far (Tentative Agreements)

Because of your solidarity, we have reached tentative agreements on:

  • Union Access & Bulletin Boards – Protecting our right to communicate and organize.
  • Justice Center Representation: Ensuring union representation during investigations.
  • Probationary Period: Clear terms for new employees.
  • Seniority: Defined seniority protections.
  • Vacancies & Postings: Transparent job posting and promotion processes.
  • Paid Time Off (PTO): Locked-in PTO structure.
  • Retirement Benefits: Access to a retirement plan with a 4% contribution secured.
  • Labor-Management Committee: A formal space to raise workplace issues.
  • Savings Clause: Protecting the strength of our contract.
  • Non-Discrimination: Strong anti-discrimination language.
  • Paydays & Payroll Procedures: Clear and consistent payroll practices.

What We’re Still Fighting For:

The road ahead is focused on securing a contract that retains our talented staff and protects the children we serve.

Although progress has been made, several key challenges remain unresolved.

  • Although progress has been made, several key challenges remain unresolved.
    1. Recognition & Union Rights
      We are still finalizing language that protects who is covered under our union and how new positions are added. This is about protecting our unit and preventing erosion through time.
    2. Management Rights: The employer wants broad authority over staffing, scheduling, and discipline. We are pushing to ensure that those powers cannot be used arbitrarily or capriciously.
      For example, just last month, several staff members were notified of last-minute schedule changes, making it nearly impossible to manage childcare or prepare for their lessons. When management can make these changes without notice or input, it disrupts our lives and undermines the consistency our students depend on. This is why strong contract protections are critical.
    3. Strikes & Lockouts: The employer wants a strict, no-strike clause. We are making it clear that union rights, including protections for membership and dues, must be secured before we agree to any restrictions.
  • Union Membership & Dues

    We are still finalizing language that protects who is covered under our union and how new positions are added. This is about protecting our unit and preventing erosion through time.

  • Hours of Work & Work Year

    We have proposed:

    • A 7.5-hour workday
    • Duty-free lunch
    • Daily planning time for teachers

    Snow day agreement with Albany City Schools

    This article is about work-life balance.

  • Layoff & Recall

    We are pushing for:

    • 30 days’ notice
    • Strong seniority protections
    • A 9-month recall period (the employer is proposing shorter)
    • Fair recall rights

    This is about job security and stability.

  • Discipline & Grievance Process

    We are still negotiating:

    • Full access to arbitration
    • The arbitrator’s ability to modify discipline
    • Fair timelines that don’t unfairly block grievances

    We believe the due process must be real, not limited.

  • Compensation 

    This is one of the biggest open areas. We are fighting for:

    • Salary steps with meaningful increases
    • “Step or percentage — whichever is greater” protections
    • Retroactive raises for 2025
    • Longevity bonuses for long-term staff

    This contract must address retention and respect the experience in this building.

  • Evaluations 

    We are calling for transparency and a fair monitoring process. Evaluations should help staff grow, not be used as a shortcut for discipline.

  • Health Insurance

    We are working to secure at least an employer’s contribution level of (90% individual / 85% family) and to ensure any changes cannot occur without union input.

  • Personnel Files

    We are attempting to at least allow employees who may have made missteps to improve and apply for transfers into vacant positions, as well as give them a clean slate.

  • Professional Development

    We are reviewing workload implications around mandated training, PD days, and scheduling to ensure expectations are reasonable and consistent with our workday.