Contract Negotiations

Congratulations to the SMC Chapter 36 Negotiating team for successfully settling the successor contract for 2021- 2024! This is a great accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and collaboration of all involved. The new contract will provide both ongoing salary increases and a one-time salary payment, plus additional benefits in our collective bargaining agreement. We are excited to see the positive impact this will have on our members and we look forward to continuing productive negotiations with the District during the next bargaining session in 2024!

The agreement includes several beneficial changes to our collective bargaining agreement to include:

• Article 11 - Wages
  • An ongoing salary increase of 7.5% retroactive to July 1, 2021.
  • An ongoing salary increase of 2.5% retroactive to July 1, 2022.
  • On July 1, 2023, the salary schedules shall be increased by 75% of the actually-received COLA in the adopted budget.
  • A one-time payment of $3,000 for each unit member employed at the time of ratification for the 2022-23 fiscal year; part-time unit member shall receive a proportionate payment based on the ratio of the number of hours their regular assignment bears to an eight-hour work day.
• Information Session - we will review a summary of the the tentative agreement is scheduled for January 5, 2023.
• Ratification - We will plan to ratify the contract on January 12, 2023 via zoom.

More information will be available after the Holiday Break. The tentative agreement is available under the Current Contracts & MOUs section below for your review. Please send any questions or comments to our chapter36@smc.edu email or Chapter 36 Teams channel.

January 5, 2023 - Information Session to review a summary of articles in the tentative agreement. 

January 12, 2023 - Ratification of contract. 

January 12, 2023 - Majority voted to ratify the contract. 

Voting Results
Total votes: 241
Yes: 237 (98.34%)
No: 4 (1.65%)

Board Approved January 17, 2023

Collective bargaining is the negotiations process between the union (CSEA) and employer (District) that determines everything from wages and health benefits to hours and working conditions. The result of this process is a legally binding contract, which clearly describes our rights and benefits as employees.

Source:  CSEA Collective Bargaining

As employees, we belong to a bargaining unit represented by CSEA. Our union representatives and negotiators meet with the employer and discuss issues until they reach a tentative agreement (TA). No agreement is final until it has been approved (ratified) by the chapter members and by the school board. The final agreement becomes a binding contract, and both sides must adhere to its provisions.

Contracts vary from district to district, but they generally cover similar issues. The Education Employment Relations Act (EERA) specifies that in addition to wages and benefits, workplace issues such as leave and transfer policies, safety conditions, class size, evaluation procedures and grievance procedures are all negotiable through collective bargaining.

Source:  CSEA Collective Bargaining

Typically, CSEA contracts define a grievance as a "formal written notice" that an employee has been adversely affected by "misapplication or incorrect interpretation" of the contract. Some contracts also allow you to grieve violations of law and of past practice.

Understanding the grievance process

One of the most useful tools a contract provides you with is the grievance procedure. Often employees think filing a grievance will label them as a "troublemaker," but really the grievance process is just that—a process, which we use to resolve violations of our rights in a professional, orderly manner.

Your right to union representation

You have the right to have a union representative present at all levels of the grievance procedure. Employees should take advantage of this right because, just as you wouldn’t go into court without a lawyer, you shouldn’t file a grievance without the benefit of representation.

CSEA representatives (Union Stewards and Labor Relations Representatives) have the necessary training and experience to help you plan the best strategy for resolving your problem. They know if there have been similar problems elsewhere and they have the technical knowledge of the contract and the laws to help you protect your rights.

The grievance process protects our rights

Most CSEA contracts contain a three-step grievance process. However, some contracts state that before filing a formal written grievance, you should attempt to resolve the matter through an informal conference with your immediate supervisor.  Remember, every contract is different, so you should consult your contract to understand the grievance process and timelines.

Level I—Within a certain number of days after the violation occurs (or after you know or you should have reasonably known it occurred) you must present your grievance in writing—usually to your immediate supervisor.

Level II—If you’re not satisfied with the Level I decision, you may appeal the decision—usually to a mid-level manager or to the superintendent or his designee.

Level III—In some contracts, chapters have negotiated arbitration with a neutral third party. If you’re not satisfied with the decision at Level II, you may request in writing that CSEA appeal the grievance. CSEA will notify the district whether we intend to submit the grievance to arbitration. The decision of the arbitrator is either binding (the parties are obligated to accept the arbitrator’s decision) or "advisory," wherein the parties are free to decide whether or not to accept the arbitrator’s recommendation.

Review your contract

As you can see, the grievance procedure is there for us—but only if we use it. Take a moment to review the grievance procedure in our contract. 

Source:  CSEA Collective Bargaining