Access HF2645 and amendment 8164

The Governor stated again March 25 that the Collective Bargaining bill needed to be bipartisan and built in an atmosphere of consensus or he would veto it. We need to thank him and let him know we agree and that any collective bargaining issues should be developed collectively by those affected.

• Gov. Culver: (515) 281-5211 or send an e-mail using http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/
• House: (515) 281-3221
• Senate: (515) 281-3371

Collective Bargaining Talking Points

• The proposed changes to Chapter 279, specifically relating to teacher termination makes changes not only to remove the probationary period for teachers and remove the hearing from the elected school board to an adjudicator, but would make the decision of the adjudicator the FINAL decision. Either party could previously appeal the decision through the court system. It would be difficult for anyone to share that teachers are not protected under the current system. The proposed changes to Chapter 279 are simply not good for education in Iowa.
• It is imperative to be aware of how extensive Iowa's "limited scope" of bargaining is. Currently, Iowa Code §20.9 allows for negotiation with respect to wages, hours, vacations, insurance, holidays, leaves of absence, shift differentials, overtime compensation, supplemental pay, seniority, transfer procedures, job classifications, health and safety matters, evaluation procedures, procedures for staff reduction, in-service training and other matters mutually agreed upon.
• It is not good policy to pass legislation based on the fact that X number of other states might have similar legislation. The emphasis should be on what is good for Iowa. Taking the issue of class size, for example, out of the hands of elected school board members who are accountable to the people is not a good idea. Not only do these members receive guidance and advice from administrators (who were all teachers at one time), but also receive input from teachers and other members of the community on important policy matters.
• This process flies in the face of legislative history where labor and management have held the positions, no matter who was in power, that Chapter 20 wasn’t broken so it doesn’t need to be fixed. Significant changes should be drafted in the open with bipartisan and labor/management supports.
  
  
• The expanded scope of bargaining is too broad – and includes the very tools school districts use to respond to a negotiated settlement they can’t afford – such as increasing class size or offering an early retirement program. 
  
  
• This is undoubtedly going to cost significant dollars. Not only to pay for the new items to be negotiated but the litigation that will ensue as a result of the new terms in Chapter 20. Including areas such as class size, preparation time and staffing level as mandatory subjects of bargaining will increase school district costs, and as a result, property taxes.

Dr. Ben Norman
Director of Government Relations
School Administrators of Iowa
515-240-9125
bennorman@mchsi.com