The UFT, saying that talks to replace its expired contract had reached an impasse, asked the New York State Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) on Jan. 15 to intervene in the negotiations.
If PERB finds that an impasse exists, the state agency will appoint a mediator to bring the sides together. If mediation fails, PERB would then appoint a fact-finding panel to hold hearings and make a recommendation for a settlement.
UFT President Michael Mulgrew said, “Despite weeks of meetings and discussions, we have not been able to make real progress in our efforts to reach a new contract with the Department of Education. The UFT has no choice but to reach out to a neutral third party to help resolve the differences that are preventing us from a new agreement that is fair to our members and to the parents and children who rely on the New York City public schools.”
At the request of the 300-member negotiating committee, the DA passed a resolution at its November meeting that authorized the union leadership to file for impasse if necessary.
The UFT's most recent contract was a two-year pact that expired Oct. 31, 2009.
If mediation were to fail, a fact-finding panel would have three appointees. Fact-finding produces non-binding recommendations designed to help the parties craft a final settlement.
Under the Taylor Law that governs relations between management and public employee labor unions, wages, benefits and all other provisions of contracts continue in place until new agreements are reached, including during the impasse/mediation/fact-finding process.
Three times in the last 17 years — in 2005, 2002 and 1993 — the recommendations of fact-finding panels have helped the UFT and the DOE/city reach agreements to replace expired teacher contracts.
To read the remainder of the article, go to: http://www.uft.org/news/issues/press/uft_declares_impasse_in_contract_negotiations/
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