Contracts are negotiated for specific time periods. The current P-fac contract applies to 2006-2010, which means it ends on August 31, 2010, the end of the 2009-2010 school year.
Negotiating a new contract can be a time-consuming and challenging process. Representatives appointed by P-fac and the administration must agree on the terms and language of the contract. Then the union membership and the Board of Trustees must both vote to ratify the contract. The process often takes well over a year. P-fac’s first steps in preparing for upcoming contract negotiations are surveying members and forming a negotiations committee. P-fac conducted a member survey online during spring and summer of 2009. The Negotiations Committee has also been meeting since spring 2009 and will continue to meet during the 2009-2010 school year. Joe Laiacona, the Negotiations Chair, has helped negotiate every P-fac contract so far (1999-2002, 2002-2006, and 2006-2010). Membership on the committee is open to any interested members who are willing to devote the time and energy required.
The negotiations team is chosen by the Negotiations Committee and ratified by the Steering Committee. Usually P-fac and the administration each choose three or four team members. Attorneys, facilitators, and P-fac’s IEA Uniserv director may also be present.
Historically, P-fac contracts have been negotiated with “interest -based bargaining,” a process explained in the book Getting To Yes. This process starts by determining common interests (such as good teaching). Negotiation can also use more traditional methods calling for each side to propose contract provisions, or can combine traditional and interest-based styles. The choice of negotiation style is one of the many issues the two teams must negotiate.
Governance
Department Representatives
Steering Committee
P-fac Meetings
Committees
Representative Assemblies
Negotiations
Region-67
