Unfair Labor Practice Much?

Y'know, I'll never understand union bashing. When people badmouth teachers unions in particular, it makes me cringe. The bashers only focus on what they perceive to be bad about unions such as the oft complaints of safe-guarding bad teachers, protecting seniority and tenure and the like.

Let me just say this, when you have seen what I've seen this summer, it might change the way you think about unions - at least a little bit.

For instance, California Ed. Code gives rehiring rights to teachers who have been laid off for 39 months. In most cases, the only reason these teachers (mostly young, new teachers, btw) were let go from their teaching positions were due to economic uncertainties, as is the case in many districts in the Golden State. Rehiring rights tell Districts that if positions become open and a laid-off teacher is qualified to teach in that position, then the District must contact the teacher to ask if they want this new position.

In my District, we have almost one hundred teachers who are still without teaching jobs. Many will take part-time positions because as we all know, something is better than nothing. The District has decided to advertise (yet again) for newly created positions that these laid-off teachers are qualified to teach, most of which are part-time. So, this week I had to deliver a cease & desist and demand to bargain letter. As of right this minute, I've heard nothing from HR.

Then, we have the whole issue of health benefits. (Mary Alice wrote an excellent piece on health benefits - you really should go read it after you read what I have to say!) Many teachers opt for a 12 month paycheck. This means that during the 10 months of contractual work, deducations are made so that we can receive our summer pay and benefits. In the past, when teachers have been laid off, they keep their benefits until August 31st. It is benefits that we have already paid out of the deductions for the year. However, my district has chosen this year to make it really interesting. They are stopping coverage on July 31st and refunding money to these laid-off teachers.

The best part? Many teachers have not received any written notice that their coverage is stopping as of today! The District stated that in the final lay-off letter that went out in May, teachers were instructed to contact the Benefits Department to discuss their benefits package. This is what the District is using as their notice! As we all know, most people rely on what has happened in the past and past practice has been that laid-off teachers received benefits until August 31st. I know that more than a few of these teachers probably assumed that they were good to go until August and then they would do what they needed to do in order to maintain their coverage, i.e., paying for the COBRA package.

Of course, I am looking at the legal options to get the District do right by its former employees. It is still appalling to me that they would do this to teachers, many of whom really want to come back to teach in this District despite all the crappy things this District has pulled.

yeah, we don't need unions because we all know how benevolent employers are!