Negotiations Update by Fran Rozoff

On May 15, 2014 NFT and NUSD reached an agreement to resolve contractual and financial issues in our Collective Bargaining Agreement which was later ratified overwhelmingly by our unit members.

Highlights of our agreement include allowing high schools to be within contract on a modified block schedule while also allowing middle schools to remain on a traditional schedule and guaranteeing secondary teachers and upper elementary teachers increased compensation for classes above 34 and 30 students respectively.  We increased the scope of sick leave and compensation rates for curriculum work, high school department chairs and coaches.

Most importantly, the District contribution to health care benefits has increased and the sting of rising health care costs and it's impact on teachers pay has been significantly mitigated for the 2014-2015 school year.

Negotiations were very collaborative and productive, and both sides walked away feeling able to propose many positive changes to the Contract.  The combined fiscal impact of these changes is approximately equivalent to a 3.25% raise.

Successful bargaining rests on the ability of both parties to achieve shared goals while protecting their own rights and responsibilities.  During our bargaining sessions we shared relevant information that was critical for effective solutions.  We focused on present issues, not past disagreements.  We discussed our mutual interests and developed options to satisfy those interests with objective criteria.

It is important for district stakeholders to be joint problem solvers and work together cooperatively to try and figure out the best ways to meet the interests of labor and management.   Productive labor negotiations in a mutually respectful environment values the very important "social capital" of NUSD, the teachers and staff who do their best to meet the needs of Novato's schoolchildren every day.