ARTICLE I UNION RECOGNITION

Central Falls School District

Section 1. Recognition of the Central Falls Teachers’ Union

The District recognizes the Central Falls Teachers’ Union, Local 1567 of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, as exclusive bargaining representative for all those certified employees including: Pre-K- grade 12 teachers, certified school nurse-teachers, guidance counselors, school librarians, temporary employees, speech pathologists, coaches, athletic director, social workers, school psychologists, and any part-time certified staff who would be part of the bargaining unit if employed full time in positions requiring a teaching certificate from the Rhode Island Department of Education. Adaptive physical education teachers, licensed physical therapists and licensed occupational therapists will be recognized as members of the bargaining unit.

Superintendents, assistant superintendents, supervisory staff associated with the Central Office, principals, assistant principals, and all other full time administrators with no teaching duties are excluded from the bargaining unit.

Section 2. Individual Rights

Nothing contained herein shall prevent any employee from (1) informally discussing a complaint with his/her immediate supervisor, or (2) processing a grievance on his/her own behalf in accordance with the grievance procedure hereinafter set forth, providing that the level of resolution under this contract be limited to a decision by the District at Level Three, if such grievance is not a union action nor supported by union action.

Section 3. Management’s Right to Meet with Employees

Nothing contained herein shall prevent the District or any authorized representative of the District from meeting with any employee organization and/or employee representing instructional employees in the bargaining unit in order to hear the views and proposals of its members. Except that as to matters presented by such organizations which are proper subjects of negotiations, the Union shall be informed of the meeting, be permitted a representative and, as to those matters, any changes or modifications shall be made only through negotiations with the Union.

Section 4. Bargaining Unit Positions

Any work performed by any position recognized by the District in Article I, Section 1 of this agreement shall only be performed by bargaining unit members unless the District is unable to hire qualified candidates to fill positions.

Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the District from hiring per diem substitute teachers or individuals to perform bargaining unit work on an intermittent basis which does not require the hiring of a regular full-time or part-time employee; nor shall this be construed to prevent the development of an Alternate Learning program governed by suitable alternate contractual provisions mutually agreed to by the District and the Union.

Such suitable alternate contractual provisions are expected to include, but are not limited to, the length of the school day, parent-teacher contact, unassigned time, and student case load. It is the expectation of the parties that such alternate learning program in grade 7 – 12 may be staffed through posting and will take effect starting in September, 2011. Displaced teachers shall have the option to refuse placement in the alternate learning program. In that event, the teacher remains on the recall list.