We have a new, tentative, contract!
Thanks to the tireless work of our union leadership, our collective bargaining team, our bargaining committee, and support from AFT-Maryland, we have reached a Tentative Agreement with management. The contract is attached [click here to download] for members to review. Highlights are listed below.
The next steps will include informational meetings where members can ask questions about the contract, and then we will enter the ratification process to vote on the contract. STAY TUNED for more information!
Click here to download a copy of the tentative agreement.
Highlights of the new MSD Union Contract 2024-2026
Fiscal matters may be re-opened every year in between.
Key Definitions
Stewards (described in Article 4).
Stewards are members who have been trained to be specialists on the contract, and who will function as the line-of-communication between the rank-and file membership and the executive board. Stewards will also be the union rep for any bargaining unit member who is called into a disciplinary hearing for whatever reason.
Labor Management Committees (LMCs) (Article 35)
These are committees which are made up of both union members and management who look to address key issues that may occur during the school year, including:
- Resolve workplace safety or compensation issues at each campus, or school wide;
- Review the salaries of professional staff in Frederick and Howard Counties so as to update the pay plan for similar staff at the school;
- Create a training program for identifying and eliminating the various forms of discrimination that occur in the workplace;
- Develop the standards by which teachers will be evaluated;
- Investigate issues of pay equity, and develop a pay equity program for instances when new hires are paid a higher salary than existing employees with similar experience and training.
Grievance Procedure (Article 23)
Grievance Procedures are used to resolve disputes that may ultimately end up before an objective, binding third party at the Office of Administrative Hearings. The decision by this third party, neutral arbitrator, is binding. After the grievance has been initiated, all meetings regarding the grievance may be conducted in ASL. The person making the grievance may not be disciplined or otherwise discriminated against for filing a grievance.
Key Victories
in the Tentatively Agreed-to
Memorandum of Understanding
Pay (article 6)
- July 1: 3% COLA raises across-the-board. Every employee gets an increment/step.
- Jan 1, 2025, employees who were hired before June 30, 2019 will receive an additional increment/step.
- An LMC will look at the salaries and benefits of teachers and staff in Howard and Frederick Counties to compare with pay at MSD, and will recommend updates to the Budget secretary for a new salary scale based on those county compensation packages.
Bans of privatizing/outsourcing our work (Article 1, Recognition)
Bargaining unit jobs cannot be outsourced to a private vendor. So, for example, things like tutoring, or nursing, cannot be “privatized,” or done by a private business contractor with their own employees.
Stamping out discrimination (Article 2, Non-discrimination)
Authorizes an LMC to create a new training program for employees and managers to help identify and overcome various forms of discrimination that occur in the workplace. Will notify employees of their legal rights against discrimination as well.
Sets limits on the number of workdays, and gives everyone at least a 30 minute DUTY FREE lunch break (Article 3, School Year, workweek, work day)
Defines the number of days in a school year that shall be worked by 10-, 10.5-, and 11-month employees, including Professional Development days
- At the beginning of the school year, at least one professional development day will be set aside for employees to prepare their classroom or working area.
- Limits the number of department meetings to no more than 1 per week, and no more than one additional mandatory professional meeting per week.
- Sets an employee’s reporting time to be 15 minutes before the time designated as the beginning of the instructional day.
- Gives each employee a 30 minute, paid, duty-free lunch break.
- Assures classroom teachers get sufficient planning periods.
- Teachers and staff who are asked to sub: Teachers: if it happens during their planning period, are paid $43.23 per subbed class. Other staff: may be dismissed at 3pm or earlier as compensation for subbing.
Gives employees extra leave for receiving vaccines or for recovering from COVID. (Article 9, Leaves with Pay)
- Employees can get leave to receive a COVID or Flu vaccine.
- Employees who test positive for COVID-19 shall receive up to five days of paid COVID leave.
Grants employee access to their personnel file, and gives them the right to respond to elements placed in said file. (Article 13, Personnel File)
Employees will now have the right to review their personnel file. No anonymous materials may be placed in the file, and the employee has the right to respond to anything in the file. Additionally, once per year, the employee may request things placed in their file that would include new special competencies, achievements, performances, or contributions of an academic, professional, or civic nature into the file.
Creates a fair process for updating employee job descriptions. (Article15, Job Descriptions)
Requires the school to follow its own standards and guidelines in a fair and equitable manner when updating an employee’s job description. If the employer fails to do so, this may be grieved under the grievance procedure.
Establishes a clear process for developing evaluation criteria and procedures by which employee performance will be evaluated. (Articles 16 and 22. Performance Evaluations, and Disciplinary Actions related to employee performance.)
Establishes fair, objective evaluation procedures for teachers and other staff.
- Teachers:
- All evaluators must be trained in proper evaluation methods.
- LMC will establish the criteria and weights by which educators will be evaluated.
- Teachers may offer written comments to supplement the semesterly evaluation, and may also write their own end-of-the-year evaluation reflecting on their own challenges and professional growth.
- Teachers who receive an unsatisfactory evaluation may request a new evaluator the following school year.
- Staff who are not classroom teachers:
- follow similar procedures currently in place, except when receiving an unsatisfactory evaluation.
- In such cases, the employee has 180 school days to demonstrate improvement (versus 180 calendar days, which could have included time over summer break.)
Create a pathway to establishing real pay equity. (Article 17. Within Grade Increases)
LMC is created to develop a pay equity program that will examine pay equity issues for new hires versus hires with similar training and experience, but at a lower pay rate.
Establishes a program by which teacher aides can, if they choose, be reimbursed for taking classes to earn their teaching degree. (Article 18)
Establishes a program by which successful teachers aides may be reimbursed for classes needed to attain a teaching degree.
Formalizes a program for Classroom management and student discipline. (Article 19. Classroom management and student discipline)
School will establish a comprehensive plan to manage student discipline and behavior management. This plan will be presented to all employees, and all employees shall have the option to attend professional development meetings to be educated on the plan and strategies for managing student behavior. All employees shall retain the right to request a meeting of a student’s IEP team to address particular student conduct issues.
Established benchmarks for ensuring workplace safety. (Article 27, 32)
- Employees shall have the right to safe water and a clean restroom.
- Each campus shall have at least 10 PCMs (Professional Crisis Management) available to respond to a crisis. All employees shall be made aware of the certified PCM personnel at their campus.
- A procedure to resolve workplace bullying or threats of violence from students or their family members.
Makes more transparent the processes of filling vacancies and converting contractual employees to permanent status. (Article 33)
Objective procedures established to identify when vacancies are posted, and for converting contractual employees with the longest tenure to permanent positions.
Posted 2024-01-12