Our Unit 3 Bargaining Team completed its third week of unit-specific negotiations on behalf of our Professional Educators and Librarians, making what the team is calling “one-sided progress.”

“Each week, we’re coming to the table ready to move the relationship between employee and employer forward, to secure both recognition and reward for Unit 3 … but the State isn’t fully engaging with us,” said Unit 3 Chair Bob Holtz. “It seems like there are no decision-makers present at our sessions.”

Only one tentative agreement was reached today, article 13.6.3, which governs performance appraisals. Our team has a backlog of proposals already presented which the State hasn’t responded to.

Forging ahead, our team proposed to “rollover” (preserve current contract language) the following four articles:

  • 9.19.13 Light Limited Duty
  • 10.19.3 Positive Behavior Support Unit 3
  • 19.19.3 Work Week Group E or SE (Unit 3)
  • 21.15.3 Off-Site Teacher Preparation Time (Unit 3)

We proposed language changes for the following articles:

  • 8.28.3 Education Leave (Unit 3) – expands eligibility for educational leave to all Unit 3 represented employees
  • 21.25.3 Work Assignment Notification (Unit 3) – provides for more consistent communication in line with best practices of the educational community
  • 25.7.3 Credits for Salary Advancement (Unit 3) – allows employees greater planning and control of their individual development programs and career improvement

You can review each of our current contract articles online at contract.seiu1000.org

Unit 3’s next meeting with the State to win a contract that Respects Us, Protects Us, and Pays Us is set for May 9. To read about what happened in Tuesday’s other bargaining sessions, please visit the Contract Action Center page at www.seiu1000.org

There’s real truth to the Local 1000 slogan, Stronger Together. We only win a great contract with a strong Local 1000 membership. So, if you’re not already a member, we encourage you to join us today.