ARTICLE V - ASSOCIATION RIGHTS

ARTICLE V - ASSOCIATION RIGHTS

A. Association Recognition

1. The Board recognizes the Lower Kuskokwim NEA as the exclusive bargaining agent for the certified teachers.

2. Challenges of the Association's rights, obligations, and status as the exclusive bargaining agent shall be made in accordance with the Public Employment Relations Act.

B. Inter-School Mail

1 The Association shall have the use of the interschool mail system, including the faculty mailboxes, for communicating with teachers. The Association further agrees that all Association-originated communications shall be distributed by an Association representative, and that any postage required for Association communications be provided by the Association.

C. District Facilities and Equipment

1 The Association shall be permitted reasonable use of District facilities when not otherwise needed for school use. The Association shall be permitted to use school buildings for its meetings for no fee. No such meeting shall be held which requires teachers to leave their duty stations prior to the end of the normal working day. The local school administrator shall be notified twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the time and place of all such meetings.

2 The Association shall be permitted reasonable use of school typewriters, computers and computer equipment, video-conferencing equipment, facsimile machines, mimeographing machines, and other duplication equipment when such equipment is not otherwise in use by the District, provided however that the use of computers or computer equipment in administrative offices shall only be allowed with the approval of the Administrator. The Association shall pay for the reasonable cost of all materials and supplies incident to its use of such equipment, including facsimile phone charges. Any additional labor costs for use of video-conferencing equipment shall be paid for by the Association.

3
The Association shall be permitted to post notices and other materials on designated bulletin boards in school facilities.

D. Association Leave

1. The Board shall grant one day of Association leave for each day or portion thereof in which the Board meets in work or regular session providing that an Association member attends such meetings and that the teacher attending would otherwise be on duty. Under the same conditions, the Board shall grant one day of Association leave for each day or portion thereof in which the Board meets in special session, if after considering the purpose of the special session, the Association determines it reasonable to have an Association member attend and the Association requests Association leave for that purpose from the Superintendent, and the Superintendent determines it reasonable to have an Association member attend the special meeting in light of the specified purpose of that special meeting.

2. The Board shall grant each school year twenty-five (25) additional days of leave with pay for teachers to participate in Association business. Requests for such leave shall be made in writing to the Superintendent, and shall include the name(s) of the teachers to be on Association leave and the specific dates involved.

3.
In the event that a teacher traveling within the LKSD to attend a Board meeting or a grievance hearing as outlined above is prevented from returning to his/her duty station by bad weather conditions, that teacher shall be granted administrative leave if the teacher reports for duty to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

The same rule shall apply if a teacher attending a Board meeting as the Association's selected representative remains in a community in which the Board meeting is being held during a recess of such meeting for up to twenty-four (24) hours. However, such rule shall not apply if the teacher in question works in a school located in the community in question

4. The Superintendent may grant leave without pay for teachers to participate in Association activities other than the above.

5. A teacher who will be on Association leave will notify his/her immediate supervisor not less than three days in advance of such leave. This requirement will be waived by the administrative supervisor in cases of special Board meetings or other extenuating circumstances which do not allow for such prior notification.

6. Association leave may not be utilized during in-services that are calendared by the site and/or District prior to the end of the school day on the Friday before Labor Day, unless such in-services are scheduled during the NEA-Alaska's delegate assembly, president's conference, or issues conference.

E. Teacher Rights

The Board shall not discriminate against any teacher on the basis of membership or activities in the Association.

F. Membership Dues

1. The Board shall deduct annual Association dues in equal monthly installments from the pay of any and all teachers who have authorized such a deduction ending with the May paycheck. A signed Association membership form which authorizes said deduction shall be utilized for this purpose. The Association membership form shall include a statement that said deductions shall continue from year to year without further authorization unless revoked consistent with the terms of paragraph below.

2. Upon submission of said Association membership form, payroll deductions shall commence with the next payroll. The Association dues shall be deducted in equal monthly installments as determined by the number of months commencing from the next monthly payroll after the submission date to May. These deductions as revised annually pursuant to paragraph 3 below shall continue from year to year without further authorization from the teacher, except that teachers may revoke their authorization as of September 1 of any calendar year by giving written notice to that effect by September 30 of that year. If for any reason, excepting death, or leave of absence due to illness, employment is terminated, amounts still owing under the authorization shall be deducted from the teacher’s final pay.

3. The Association president shall inform the Superintendent, in writing, by September 1, of each year of any changes in annual united teaching profession dues.

4. The amount deducted each month shall be promptly remitted to the Association.

5. Save-Harmless. The Association shall indemnify and save the District harmless against any and all claims, demands, suits, orders, judgments and other forms of liability against the District which arise out of the District’s compliance with this provision. The District shall notify and tender the defense to the Association within fifteen (15) days of receiving any complaint regarding the enforcement of this provision. If the District fails to notify the Association within fifteen (15) days, the Association’s obligation under this provision shall be void.

LKNEA (Representing the Teachers) Negotiated Agreement Table of Contents

LKNEA Home

A.	Association Recognition
	1.	The Board recognizes the Lower Kuskokwim NEA as the exclusive bargaining agent for the certified teachers.
	2.	Challenges of the Association's rights, obligations, and status as the exclusive bargaining agent shall be made in accordance with the Public Employment Relations Act.
B.	Inter-School Mail
	1	The Association shall have the use of the interschool mail system, including the faculty mailboxes, for communicating with teachers. The Association further agrees that all Association-originated communications shall be distributed by an Association representative, and that any postage required for Association communications be provided by the Association.
C.	District Facilities and Equipment
	1	The Association shall be permitted reasonable use of District facilities when not otherwise needed for school use. The Association shall be permitted to use school buildings for its meetings for no fee. No such meeting shall be held which requires teachers to leave their duty stations prior to the end of the normal working day. The local school administrator shall be notified twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the time and place of all such meetings.
	2	The Association shall be permitted reasonable use of school typewriters, computers and computer equipment, video-conferencing equipment, facsimile machines, mimeographing machines, and other duplication equipment when such equipment is not otherwise in use by the District, provided however that the use of computers or computer equipment in administrative offices shall only be allowed with the approval of the Administrator. The Association shall pay for the reasonable cost of all materials and supplies incident to its use of such equipment, including facsimile phone charges. Any additional labor costs for use of video-conferencing equipment shall be paid for by the Association.
	3	The Association shall be permitted to post notices and other materials on designated bulletin boards in school facilities.
D.	Association Leave
	1.	The Board shall grant one day of Association leave for each day or portion thereof in which the Board meets in work or regular session providing that an Association member attends such meetings and that the teacher attending would otherwise be on duty. Under the same conditions, the Board shall grant one day of Association leave for each day or portion thereof in which the Board meets in special session, if after considering the purpose of the special session, the Association determines it reasonable to have an Association member attend and the Association requests Association leave for that purpose from the Superintendent, and the Superintendent determines it reasonable to have an Association member attend the special meeting in light of the specified purpose of that special meeting.
	2.	The Board shall grant each school year twenty-five (25) additional days of leave with pay for teachers to participate in Association business. Requests for such leave shall be made in writing to the Superintendent, and shall include the name(s) of the teachers to be on Association leave and the specific dates involved.
	3.	In the event that a teacher traveling within the LKSD to attend a Board meeting or a grievance hearing as outlined above is prevented from returning to his/her duty station by bad weather conditions, that teacher shall be granted administrative leave if the teacher reports for duty to the Superintendent or his/her designee. The same rule shall apply if a teacher attending a Board meeting as the Association's selected representative remains in a community in which the Board meeting is being held during a recess of such meeting for up to twenty-four (24) hours. However, such rule shall not apply if the teacher in question works in a school located in the community in question
	4.	The Superintendent may grant leave without pay for teachers to participate in Association activities other than the above.
	5.	A teacher who will be on Association leave will notify his/her immediate supervisor not less than three days in advance of such leave. This requirement will be waived by the administrative supervisor in cases of special Board meetings or other extenuating circumstances which do not allow for such prior notification.
	6.	Association leave may not be utilized during in-services that are calendared by the site and/or District prior to the end of the school day on the Friday before Labor Day, unless such in-services are scheduled during the NEA-Alaska's delegate assembly, president's conference, or issues conference.
E.	Teacher Rights
	The Board shall not discriminate against any teacher on the basis of membership or activities in the Association.
F.	Membership Dues
	1.	The Board shall deduct annual Association dues in equal monthly installments from the pay of any and all teachers who have authorized such a deduction ending with the May paycheck. A signed Association membership form which authorizes said deduction shall be utilized for this purpose. The Association membership form shall include a statement that said deductions shall continue from year to year without further authorization unless revoked consistent with the terms of paragraph below.
	2.	Upon submission of said Association membership form, payroll deductions shall commence with the next payroll. The Association dues shall be deducted in equal monthly installments as determined by the number of months commencing from the next monthly payroll after the submission date to May. These deductions as revised annually pursuant to paragraph 3 below shall continue from year to year without further authorization from the teacher, except that teachers may revoke their authorization as of September 1 of any calendar year by giving written notice to that effect by September 30 of that year. If for any reason, excepting death, or leave of absence due to illness, employment is terminated, amounts still owing under the authorization shall be deducted from the teacher’s final pay.
	3.	The Association president shall inform the Superintendent, in writing, by September 1, of each year of any changes in annual united teaching profession dues.
	4.	The amount deducted each month shall be promptly remitted to the Association.
	5.	Save-Harmless. The Association shall indemnify and save the District harmless against any and all claims, demands, suits, orders, judgments and other forms of liability against the District which arise out of the District’s compliance with this provision. The District shall notify and tender the defense to the Association within fifteen (15) days of receiving any complaint regarding the enforcement of this provision. If the District fails to notify the Association within fifteen (15) days, the Association’s obligation under this provision shall be void.