Nego Bull 2r4f5g2f4r22fv2fd2f5

7/27/2019 Nego Bull 2r4f5g2f4r22fv2fd2f5

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As you know, SDFA and our District are currently working on a new Master Contract

utilizing, once again, the interest-based process. Based on member input gathered lastschool year (details provided in past Vanguards and Bulletins), SDFA is addressing our

members’ interests with the District. Our interests, while prioritized by the SDFA

Executive Board as high, medium, and low, also fall into general categories of: contract

language interests, health care-related interests, or salary/financial interests.

As usual the SDFA/District have agreed to discuss contract language interests first, then

health care-related interests next, and then, finally, salary/financial interests. This processis followed as some contract language and health care-related interests have a cost

involved, and that potential cost should be known before we look seriously at each

others’ salary/financial interests. All costs eventually are paid out of the same District“pot of funds,” so money spent in one area is not available to spend again somewhere

else.

Productive negotiations meetings are underway in September and will be continuing into

October. A mutual goal of SDFA and the District is to have a new agreement as soon asis reasonably possible for our members and the School Board to review. The interest-

based process usually does take a great deal more time and energy than the old adversarial methods. Working cooperatively in an attempt to meet each other’s interests

is much more difficult than just being positional and making demands of one another.

Your continued patience and support is appreciated. As has been demonstrated manytimes in past years, we have ultimately produced an excellent new working agreement.

Most of you will remember that per the interest-based process guidelines SDFA and theDistrict follow, specific details of each negotiating meeting are not shared by SDFA with

our entire unit or by the District Negotiations Team with the School Board. The interest- based process does not work successfully in a “piecemeal” fashion. “Pieces” or parts of

a new agreement (whether it be about language, health care or financial interests) are

not shared along the way to agreement on a new contract. The interest-based process we

employ calls for our members and the School Board to consider our new agreement as anoverall package. While there may well be some small piece of an entire package that

some unit or school board member dislikes, we are looking for consideration and review

of an overall package. It is rare in life that anyone loves 100% of anything, and there maywell be areas of compromise within an interest based bargaining agreement where either

the SDFA or the District did not end up with meeting a particular interest completely;

however, the overall package remains a success and is not something either side wants towithhold from being approved. Most definitely, interest-based bargaining requires the

patience and trust of both constituencies—our unit members and the School Board—but

it can be stated confidently that the successful contract resolutions generated in past yearshave more than earned that patience and trust.

For those new employees who may not know much about interest-based bargaining,

SDFA would like to share some information about the process and how it works. In years past, the California Foundation of Employer- Employee Relations (CFIER) was

instrumental in providing the training and support for both SDFA and the District as we



began our successful pathway to intelligent negotiating. In this Bulletin, we would like to

share a few initial highlights from CFIER that might shed some light upon this process.

CFIER’s Keys to Success

Key #1: The Future Is More Relevant Than The Past There is not one “right” way to enter a collaborative venture. But one thing has proven

true time and again: The parties’ desire for a better future can prove a much stronger influence than the nature of their past history. Some groups begin after an excess of

bitterness and acrimony lead them to the conclusion that “there must be a better way

and we’re going to find it.” Others feel they are just stuck in the old patterns, or even

“doing OK,” but are looking for a process that will help catapult them forward in their ability to solve problems and meet the new challenges of a changing world. (As many of

our members know, SDFA’s initial foray into interest-based bargaining came shortly

after the most acrimonious negotiations conflict in the district’s history).

Key #2: Building Commitment and Working Together to Learn New Skills and Approaches Is Essential

Labor-management change cannot succeed over the long haul if they are imposed on a

group by the unilateral decision of any party, regardless of how well-meaning, well-

financed, or well-orchestrated. The best chance for success comes when labor-management work together to learn more about collaborative efforts, decide together

what type of training or assistance they want and need, and, after their initial exploration,

decide together to make the commitment to try a new approach to their labor relations.

No matter which approach or techniques are used, learning new concepts and newmodes of behavior will be required. But it is important to remember that the labor

management relationship itself must undergo fundamental change if the new approaches

are to succeed. The operative word is relationship; and therefore, sincere and consistentefforts must be made in order to bring about this change.

Key #3: The Interests of the Parties Must Be Met

The best non-adversarial approaches involves focusing on the INTERESTS of the parties

rather than on taking positions. This allows all groups to look more deeply at what they

truly want and need. It is also true that once having developed a more positive, trusting,

and constructive working relationship, it becomes much easier for a more openand honest appraisal and communication of each others’ interests. The primary focus of

any successful labor-management relationship must be to get interests met. Building a

stronger relationship will help everyone redefine their true interests. It will also help both

parties to communicate even unpopular or controversial interests more directly. But, onceredefined and communicated, both parties must work diligently to get those interests met.

Key #4: It Takes a True Partnership to Make Interest-Based Relations Work

A strong management and a strong union are essential if a true partnership is to beestablished. Absolute acceptance of the other party— not acceptance that their conduct

or values or perceptions are correct, but acceptance of their right to have interests and

to seek to have those interests met—is a must! It is a matter of changing any existing



(often unwritten or informal) behavior norms, attitudes, and practices. To truly create

an equal partnership takes a very focused commitment. This commitment can be assisted and supported by both parties’ efforts to sincerely understand and respect each

other’s differences and culture. With mutual trust and respect, both parties can then

productively work to meet each other’s needs—again, without compromising interests.

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Nego Bull 2r4f5g2f4r22fv2fd2f5