Wednesday, August 31, 2011

District puts a "chill" on NFT rights

After being admonished for distributing union literature to parents at a school district event, the NFT once again files a legal challenge to the superintendent's authority

Not a day goes by that some frustrated parent or tax payer doesn’t blog a demand that administration does something to limit what many consider to be invasive tactics employed by the NFT. What they do not know is that administration does enforce district policies and practices on an ongoing basis, but their efforts are challenged regularly by union officials seeking to overturn whatever administration is trying to uphold.

Since July 2010, the NFT has filed 9 grievances and 5 unfair labor practices against Neshaminy, most recently in an appeal of Dr. Muenker’s order that the union refrain from disseminating their literature on district property during school-related events.

An unfair labor practice is filed with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board for alleged violation of the Public Employee Relations Act. A grievance is an appeal of an alleged contract violation, a past practice or a disciplinary action as governed by a collective bargaining agreement. It is filed first to a building principal, then appealed to the superintendent, then onto an arbitrator.

In this most recently filed ULP (see below), the NFT challenges the actions of our superintendent, saying that Dr. Muenker intended to “chill the exercise of the Union and teachers’ rights … to silence the Union …” (page 5, section 9, first sentence).

Every time the NFT files such a complaint, administration must exhaust their time and tax payer money for legal fees to defend their actions. So even though the public may believe our administration allows the union to go unchallenged, there are 14 examples filed in the preceding 13 months that prove just the opposite.


Post Script - Undoubtedly NFT leadership will consider this post to be nothing more than an effort to derail or distract negotiations. Mind you, they didn't concern themselves with starting a controversy by handing out unapproved literature in violation of district policy. And when confronted about the matter, they didn't hesitate to file an unfair labor practice. It appears that when the NFT takes an action, they call it communicating or standing up for union rights. But when anyone in the district, board or public speaks out against their actions, union leaders dismiss it as stirring the pot. How convenient. How chilly.

Unfair Labor Charge 8-26-11 NFT - School Property

1 comment:

calfonso97 said...

Transparency, Truth and Facts will ALWAYS trump secrecy, lies and rhetoric.
It's The Kids We're Fighting For.