The ratification of a new contract in a school district includes clarifying any contractual language that can be subject to multiple interpretations. In addition, all of the school district's administrators should be trained in proper contract management. (MLF)

After describing the concept of comparable worth and reviewing arguments for and against the idea, the author proposes seven cautions for district administrators to heed when faced with the need to respond to the comparable worth issue and suggests a seven-step plan for taking action to improve pay equity. (PGD)

Collective bargaining negotiations engender public interest. This article presents a hypothetical scenario in which a city school district has four months to negotiate a new contract before its current teachers' contract expires. Offers examples as to how the district might conduct its negotiations. (LMI)

In 1990 the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law to ensure the full participation and equal opportunity of the disabled in the United States. Among its many requirements is the obligation on employers, including school districts, to provide those applicants and employees with disabilities who possess the requisite skill, education,…

This book is designed to provide school administrators and labor leaders with ideas about how to improve school district labor relations by incorporating the principles of Total Quality Management (TQM). In schools that apply the principles of Total Quality Education (TQE)--that is TQM as it modified to school practice--labor and management can…

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are two major pieces of social legislation that impact private and public employers, including school districts. Public school employers must have thorough awareness of the legal requirements of both laws and must analyze the ways in which those requirements…

Designed to assist administrators faced with representing management's position in the collective bargaining process, this paper synthesizes information on the history, legal basis, processes, and trends of collective bargaining in the United States. Section I provides a brief history of collective bargaining, highlighting major federal and state…

The traditional approach to collective bargaining as a win/loss situation in the educational field adversely affects staff members' confidence, security, and morale. Typically, those involved in this form of negotiation see only two ways to negotiate: soft and hard. Neither approach proves satisfactory because the soft negotiator often ends up…

"Alinsky methods," designed for confrontation, can include packing meetings, requesting marathon sessions, and using dramatic advertising. Developed by Saul Alinsky for oppressed people, the methods can be mitigated by 10 administrator actions, including building openness and trust, having good legal and public relations advice, and…

Presented are 16 practical rules based upon the experiences of successful managers that can help executives get more things accomplished by their subordinates. The rules include: delegate responsibility, acknowledge good work, schedule work breaks, encourage suggestions, and handle grievances promptly. (JMD)

Examines how three school districts handled privatization of school services, such as transportation, food service, and custodial. Contracting out may promote efficiency but will probably come with political heat. (LMI)

The Ashtabula County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities in Ohio has developed an alternative to arbitration. The local conciliation committee, composed of representatives of both management and labor, plus a nonvoting, objective adviser, is a third level in the grievance procedure. Benefits include resolution of conflicts…

This book is a how-to-do-it roadmap that presents practical details on the important aspects of collective bargaining at the local school district level. It details all of the strategies, tasks, events, and influences that bear on the collective bargaining process from the initial certification election of a union through the preparation for…

This step-by-step guide provides practical advice for local board members, administrators, and school board negotiators on determining current and anticipated costs, so that union demands can be analyzed. It concisely describes the "how to" of scattergrams (graphic distribution of staff salary structure), salary guides, percentage versus flat…

A database on Labor Relations in Education used to prepare several sections of this report is described, and datafiles are listed along with access information and several examples of information that can be obtained from the database. This special report includes exclusive interviews with top officials of the two major teacher unions--the…