ARTICLE 16 UNION PRIVILEGES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES

Providence School District

16-1 Fair Practices

As sole collective bargaining agent, the Union will continue its policy of accepting into voluntary membership all eligible persons in the unit without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or marital status.

16-2 Negotiations

16-2.1 In accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws §16-2-9, as amended by the General Assembly in the 2011 legislative session, all collective bargaining was conducted with the City of Providence.

16-2.2 Members of the Union Negotiating Committee, not in excess of five (5) shall, upon arrangement, be excused from duty with pay, for teaching time spent in negotiations or other scheduled occasions with the Board or its representatives, with provision made for substitute relief.

16-3 Union Activity at the School Level

16-3.1 The principal shall meet, upon request, at reasonable intervals and mutually agreed upon times, with a committee elected by Union Members in the school and the Union Representative to consult on school problems, policies and procedures.

16-3.2 At least one (1) bulletin board shall be reserved at an accessible and conspicuous place in each school for the exclusive use of the Union for purposes of posting material dealing with proper and legitimate business of the Union. Notices must be signed by the Building Representative or his/her authorized representative. The location of the bulletin board shall be determined after reasonable consultation with the Union's building representative. The Parties agree that the location of the bulletin board shall not interfere with the operation of the school.

16-3.3 The Union shall have the right to place material dealing with the proper and legitimate business of the Union in the mailboxes of teachers. No rival teachers' organization shall have the right to place any material in the mailboxes of teachers.

16-3.4 Members of the Executive Board of the Union and/or the building representative shall have the right to schedule Union meetings of the teacher members in the school before or after the regular school day hours and during the lunch time of the teachers involved, upon prior notification to the principal and provided it does not interfere with the operation of the school.

16-3.5 The Union shall be given a place at the end of the agenda of the building teachers' meeting for announcements.

16-3.6 Administration shall not participate in recruitment, solicit membership forms or collect membership dues for rival teacher organizations.

16-4 Union Activity at the School Department Level

16-4.1 Union officers may use the communication facilities of the school department for conducting regular Union business. This includes local telephone calls and the use of duplication equipment provided it does not interfere with the normal operation of the school. This provision shall not apply to any organization during the period between an order for an election and the day following the election.

16-4.2 Upon request of the Union, the Superintendent shall meet monthly at a mutually agreeable time with representatives of the Union to discuss matters of educational and personnel policy and development as well as matters relating to the implementation of this Agreement.

16-4.3 Upon notification to and prior mutual arrangement with the principals involved, the Union President or his/her designee shall be free to visit schools during school hours to confer on working conditions, grievances or other matters relating to the terms and conditions of the Agreement.

16-4.4    Teachers desiring bank payments deducted from their regular check may do so by filing an individual request with the payroll section of the Office of Human Resources, in accordance with the bank’s policy.

16-4.5 Union Officer campaigns shall not be conducted during business hours on school property and shall not use district resources.

16-5 Information to the Union

16-5.1 The District shall make available to the Union upon request and with reasonable time to respond any reasonable information, statistics, and records which are relevant to negotiations, grievances, or necessary for the proper and legitimate enforcement of the terms of this Agreement. A copy of the annual Audit and Budget shall be sent to the Union President when available.

16-5.2 The President shall be furnished a copy of the agenda of every District meeting three (3) days in advance of each regular meeting and notice of a special meeting as well as resolutions duly adopted at the last meeting.

16-5.3 Form 31 and all supplements thereto and the public school budget prescribed by the Commissioner of Education under the provisions of Section 26, Chapter 7 of Title 16, General Laws of 1956, as amended, shall be delivered to the Union President no later than ten (10) days after the filing of such reports with the Department of Education. A copy of the itemized annual budget shall be delivered to the President of the Union within ten (10) days after approval by the Board.

16-5.4 Two (2) copies of any and all notices sent to teachers by the District or by any of its administrative agents shall be sent to the Union Office. Also, two (2) copies of any and all job postings by the Board or by any of its administrative agents shall be sent to the Union office.

16-6 Payroll Deduction

16-6.1 The District agrees that it will withhold from each teacher’s paycheck who authorizes such deductions from their wages in writing an amount of money equal to the Union dues and to transmit said monies to the Union in accordance with the provisions of this Section. The total amount of such sums deducted shall be forwarded to the Union Treasurer no later than thirty (30) days after each deduction was made, together with the names of individuals, the period covered, and such other information as may be necessary to the Union to maintain its record current.

16-6.2 The District shall deduct from each teacher’s paycheck a sum of money authorized by teachers on forms prescribed by the Union for the Union’s Committee on Political Education. The total amount of all teachers’ monies so deducted shall be forwarded to the Union no later than thirty (30) days after each of said deductions is made from teachers’ paychecks together with the teachers’ names, the payroll period covered and such other information that may be required by the Union for the maintenance of its records.

16-7 Tax Sheltered Annuity

The District shall continue its present policy of making tax sheltered annuity programs available for purchase to all teachers. Participation in the annuity program is entirely voluntary.

16-8  Union Health and Welfare Fund

The Providence Teachers Union shall utilize a Health and Welfare Trust Fund with appropriate supporting documents for the purpose of providing Health and Welfare benefits to bargaining unit members. In order to provide each bargaining unit member Health and Welfare benefits, the District agrees to contribute to the Providence Teachers Union Health and Welfare Trust Fund five dollars and thirty cents ($5.30) per week, per regular teacher and LTS (Appointed to position held by teacher on leave of absence) for fifty-two (52) weeks per year. Contributions by the District to the above-identified Trust Fund shall be made on a monthly basis, payable no later than the twentieth (20th) day of the subsequent month. Employees must be on active status to be counted
toward the contribution. An employee receiving Workers’ Compensation Benefits shall be considered to be working his/her normal and regular workweek.

The above named Trust Fund shall be administered by a board of trustees selected and appointed under the provisions of the said Trust Agreement heretofore executed by the Providence Teachers Union. The provisions of this section shall be effective September 1, 1999 and thereafter.