· For this class we did a simulation of a contract bargain between teachers unions and Fallsburg school district. Half of the class were part of the teacher union and the other half part of the Fallsburg school district committee . I was on the teacher unions team and we presented arguments to negotiate with the school district and try to get some changes for the new contract.
· Notes on what was discussed each day of the negotiation is in the bargaining notes attachment.
· Main discussion topics of the bargain: class size, prep/lunch time, insurance, compliant process and compensation/salary (teachers get an increase of 7.75% of salary)
· “Fallsburg School Negotiations Simulation” attachment is the initial contract that we went in with to discuss and bargain changes.
· Fallsburg_Teachers_Union_Confidential.pdf
To answer the essay question of the paper : Agree and provide all the arguments why and also integrate and expand a little on this counter argument related to the class experience: I agree that the teachers through the collective bargaining process, shape the school district’s policies however in our in class negotiation simulation, the school district didn’t want to concede to any of our proposals. (based on the class experience on the bargain, the school district didn’t want to give in, teachers couldn’t get much out of the school district because they claimed not having enough money therefore in real life situations this might translate to teachers unions actually not having as much power shaping the school district’s policies when the school district committee claims they cannot concede because of financial restrains.)