Archives for March 2017

SOMEA showcasing Pride on Wednesday, March 22, 2017

“March 2nd, 2017 is the official start of contract negotiations between the South Orange-Maplewood Education Association (SOMEA) and the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education. As a show of unity and support for all 700+ members of SOMEA, whose voices will be represented at the negotiations table, SOMEA leadership is asking that members wear their official SOMEA t-shirts in their respective buildings and worksites on various dates throughout the remainder of the 2016-2017 school year. This action is meant to be a demonstration of support and solidarity among our membership, as we embark on our negotiations with the Board.  It is meant to celebrate the many things that the members of SOMEA make happen in and outside of the classroom on a daily basis. It is important for us to be unified and to acknowledge our contributions to making the School District of South Orange and Maplewood one of the most sought after school districts in the state.”

SOMEA Leadership

Please click on the links below to download forms to register: The deadline is March 29th

ECEA Overnight 2017 Registration Form

WorkshopDescriptionsforRegistrationForm

Essex County Education Association holds an Annual Legislative Dinner. All locals across Essex County come together to  enjoy great conversation and to  receive updates on important legislation laws that our state is facing when it comes to public education and our pension.

 

SECTION 11.15 RIGHT OF REPRESENTATION AT EMPLOYEE MEETINGS WITH MANAGEMENT: GUIDELINES FOR SUPERVISORS

Last Review: 6/11 Background: The United States Supreme Court in National Labor Relations Board v. J. Weingarten, Inc., 420 U.S. 251, 95 S. Ct. 959, L.ED.2d 171 (1974), set forth an employee’s right to union representation during employer conducted investigatory interviews. This right emanates from Section 8(a)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The Court reasoned that to deny union assistance at an investigatory interview is “to interfere with, restrain or coerce an employee” in the exercise of the individual right of the employee, protected by Section 7, “to engage in … concerted activities for … mutual aid or protection…” The Court’s holding in Weingarten has become known as the “Weingarten right.” The NLRA covers private employers and employees only. Because, however, Section 10.2 of the Iowa Public Employment Relations Act (IPERA) is identical in language with Section 8(a)(1) of the NLRA, the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) adopted Weingarten and made the Weingarten right applicable to Iowa public employees in McCormack v. City of Cedar Falls, 80 PERB 1511 (1980).

 

Procedure for granting an employee’s request for a union representative

a. The Weingarten right does not start until the interview begins.

b. The Weingarten right includes only the right to have a union representative (a union steward or elected or appointed union official) present, not the employee’s private attorney or a coworker (even if the coworker is a union member; see UE/IUP exception in subsection “e” below).

c. If the employee requests a particular union representative, allow the employee to have that particular representative present if immediately available. If the particular representative requested by the employee is not immediately available, the employee must utilize the union representative on duty and available.

d. If no union representative is immediately available, the employer will allow a union representative to be called in, and the following guidelines are recommended: (1) If the union representative is within the local area, the representative is expected to arrive as soon as possible (within thirty (30) minutes), depending upon the circumstances involved.

(2) If the union representative is not located within the local area, but within fifty (50) miles, the representative is expected to arrive within ninety (90) minutes, otherwise, the employer may proceed with the investigatory interview.

e. Whenever possible, the employer should schedule an investigatory interview with the employee when there is a union representative available. This will avoid the problem of having to wait for the arrival of a union representative from some other location. Exception: The IUP collective bargaining agreement provides language slightly different than described in subsection “d” above:

(1) The right to have a steward present shall expire if no steward is available within two (2) hours of the request for the meeting. The meeting may be held without the steward present. (2) Representation may be provided by telephone within two (2) hours if the representative cannot be personally available. (3) The employee may have an IUP contract covered coworker present if a steward is unavailable.