Quoted Text

Court rules in
favor of teachers’
bid for arbitration
    SCHENECTADY — The Schenectady Federation of Teachers has won an appeal to arbitrate a grievance requiring teachers to attend an after-school meeting.
    The State Supreme Court Appellate Division on Thursday reversed a lower court’s decision that prevented the union from seeking arbitration. The court said the original grievance remains unresolved and “the issue on this appeal is whether it is subject to arbitration. If it is, arbitration can still occur.”
    The court reversed a decision made by Acting Supreme Court Justice Barry D. Kramer on July 23. Kramer’s decision sided with the Schenectady City School District on the grounds that only four people had filed the grievance. He said if more people wish to be a part of this union action, then an amended grievance should be filed.
    The appeals court said an arbitrator should determine whether the teachers’ union fulfilled all the necessary requirements to fi le a grievance. “Accordingly, if there is a reasonable relationship between the subject matter of the dispute and the general subject matter of the collective bargaining agreement, the dispute should be deemed arbitrable,” the court ruled.
    Four teachers from the union filed a grievance in 2007 after they were required to attend a parent information night about state testing. The meeting had initially been voluntary but it was later made mandatory. The union claimed the meeting violated the contract, arguing it did not fit the definition of a meeting the school can make mandatory. The union was seeking an hour’s daily pay for attending the meeting. The Schenectady City School District filed a motion to stay the arbitration on the grounds the union had not exhausted the process for resolving grievances.
    Michael Lamendola

http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar00900

WOW!!!.....talk about a lesson for the students....this covers a number of issues....personal, political, legal etc etc........They should form a class in
all schools that is mandatory(at the expense of the unions) to teach all school children the process of their schooling and how life outside school
truly is...........get them all involved and show them person accountability.......maybe things like this would be covered under the new bill by
Mr.Kennedy signed by Mr.Obama......it can be a 'paid volunter hour' for the teachers via Fed funds or union funds....hhhhmmmmmmm

who's lobbyists work harder?????? and who are the arbitors??????