Contract negotiations between Montgomery County Public Schools and its teachers’ union stalled with the union filing an unfair labor practice lawsuit on Tuesday for “unlawful delay tactics” it said resulted from a persistent disagreement over ground rules.
The Montgomery County Education Association, which represents 14,000 teachers, said it filed a lawsuit over the district’s refusal to allow its members to observe all stages of the negotiation process for its next three-year contract. The union says MCPS is using its demand for open negotiations, which occurred during contract negotiations in 2019, to delay this year’s process, in violation of state labor laws.
MCPS, which has offered five open sessions, says it has been negotiating with the union on the rules since June and “stands ready and willing” to continue working on the ground rules, but the filing of the complaint and the process for The planned mediation result could potentially delay negotiations for “several months”, according to chief operating officer Brian Hull.
More than 150 union members gathered outside MCPS headquarters in Rockville on Tuesday night before leaders meet with the school board and present key teacher bargaining proposals. They focus on recruitment and retention incentives, especially for high-needs schools; wage increases and a “more equitable” wage grid; and increased stipends for the supervision of extracurricular activities.
Tuesday’s meeting had been scheduled as the annual session between the union and school board and MCPS leaders to discuss “items of mutual interest,” according to the board meeting agenda. These elements included: improving math and literacy rates, creating a safe and inclusive school climate, supporting two-way communication between schools and families, and improving recruitment, retention and the distribution of a highly qualified and diverse workforce.
Union President Jennifer Martin said the union decided to use the meeting to present its proposals “in light of the continued delays in the start of negotiations and ongoing work to develop MCPS’s budget request.” .
“We are not afraid to present our proposals in public view, and we hope that tonight’s meeting will convince you that having bargaining open to observation by our members will be to the mutual benefit of the union and of the school system,” Martin said. under the gaze of dozens of trade unionists. “It’s no secret that educator morale is at rock bottom here and across the country, leading to a growing crisis in recruitment.”
Contract negotiations are an “opportunity time” to work together to restore respect for teachers and invest in staff and students, she said.
Earlier Tuesday, MCPS released a statement noting that the union planned to file the unfair labor practice complaint. The district said it “continues to be committed to initiating and completing negotiations” for collective agreements with its three unions. Ground rules have been established and negotiations are underway with the Service Employees International-Local 500 and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, the statement said.
“Ultimately, it is a responsibility and a commitment of MCPS to serve our employees, so we wonder if this current state serves [the union’s] interests and, most importantly, the children and families of our district,” the statement read.
During the meeting, other union leaders and members also spoke, telling of the difficulty of retaining qualified staff, especially in poorer schools, due to emotional exhaustion and workload. . Some spoke of untenable working conditions while others spoke of rushing to work part-time at the end of the school day in order to make ends meet.
Noting the continued shortage of substitute teachers, union leaders have also called for a pay rise for teachers who must fill or support other classes when substitutes are not available, often resulting in lost teacher time. planning.
At the end of the presentation, school board president Brenda Wolff thanked the union for meeting with the board. No other MCPS board member or officer responded.
After the meeting, Wolff said the board’s “goal is to solidify this partnership” with the union and “move forward.”
The board understands that educators and the district have faced “unusual challenges” over the past few years, she said. “We’ve tried to make adjustments to address some of the concerns, but you can’t accommodate everything that’s come up,” Wolff said.
