M-W teachers union votes today on ‘stipulation of agreement'

Central Valley - Members of the Monroe-Woodbury Teachers Association are voting today on a “stipulation of agreement” reached by the union and school district officials during the summer months. Ray Hodges, association president, presented the details to the membership Wednesday afternoon, but said Thursday morning he could not discuss specifics “until the membership votes and if it approves it, and until the Board of Education reviews and approves it.” The Taylor Law, he added, was another reason why he could not provide details. However, Hodges said he was “guardedly optimistic” the membership would ratify the proposed agreement. There are 582 teachers in the district. Likewise, Monroe-Woodbury School District Superintendent Ed Mehrhof also declined to discuss the details this week, citing the Taylor Law requirements. He previously said both sides “worked on the nuts and bolts” of the proposed contract over the summer. Mehrhof was also hopeful the union would approve the agreement. The Monroe-Woodbury Board of Education will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 7, to discuss the contact as part of its agenda. The board was initially scheduled to meet on Sept. 14, but pushed the meeting up to next week specifically because of the contract. Tuesday’s meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the district’s Education Center on Route 32 in Central Valley. - Nancy Kriz The Taylor Law What Is It? The Public Employees Fair Employment Act, commonly known as the Taylor Law, is a labor relations statute covering most public employees in New York State — whether employed by the state, or by counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts, public authorities or certain special service districts. It became effective Sept. 1, 1967 and was the first comprehensive labor relations law for public employees in the state, and among the first nationwide. It is the legal foundation used by GOER in its negotiations with New York State’s public employee unions. What Does It Do? Grants public employees the right to organize and to be represented by employee organizations of their own choice; Requires public employers to negotiate and enter into agreements with public employee organizations regarding their employees’ terms and conditions of employment; Establishes impasse procedures for the resolution of collective bargaining disputes; Defines and prohibits improper practices by public employers and public employee organizations; Prohibits strikes by public employees; and Establishes a state agency to administer the Law — The Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). Source: http://goer.state.ny.us/GOER_Information/Taylor_Law.cfm