Union members in West Ada School District will have to track any contract hours used for union purposes and pay back the district for that time in order to comply with a new state law.
That’s just one way that districts and local unions are dealing with House Bill 516. Under the law, which goes into effect July 1, districts cannot use taxpayer funds to support unions by deducting fees from paychecks, distributing communications or providing compensation to employees for engaging in “teachers union activities,” among other restrictions.
West Ada trustees on Tuesday night approved a negotiated agreement with the local union to change the “Association Rights” section to include the provision that allows the district to bill the union for any union work conducted during contract hours.
The change ensures that the district is “in line with the legislation,” Renee Senander, West Ada human resources director, said Tuesday.
The agreement makes several other changes.
Previously, West Ada Education Association members were permitted to use school property to conduct union business at any time, as long as it does not disrupt school operations, but that section now has a stipulation that union members can use school property as long as it is in compliance with state law. Also, members cannot post union information on teacher bulletin boards.
Over in Caldwell, Vallivue trustees on Tuesday also approved a negotiated agreement with the local union.
That agreement includes a broad statement that allows the union to use school property “unless otherwise prohibited by state law,” according to Director of Finance Dalelyn Allen.
“At the time we went into negotiations, the interpretation of that law was still trying to be determined,” Allen told trustees on Tuesday. “And so we added that wording so that once that comes out, we can all be on the same page.”
While West Ada and Vallivue have wrapped up negotiations, other districts are still working out their own changes to association rights. Negotiations between districts and unions take place annually to set teacher contracts, with most of the discussion on salaries and benefits.
Idaho Falls School District will continue negotiations on Friday, said Jess Watrous, president of the Idaho Falls Education Association. She said every union is different and has a different relationship with its district.
The new law is raising questions on how unions are going to disclose whether or not contract hours were used for communications, including social media posts.
A post on the Idaho Falls association’s Facebook page in April included the disclaimer: “No contract hours were used to make this post.”
Watrous told EdNews that the disclaimer was not in response to HB 516 and is something the union has done for a couple of years. But she said the union may start using those disclaimers more often to be more transparent and comply with the new law.
“Having the disclaimers on there is probably going to be our safest bet,” Watrous said.
The Idaho Education Association has issued guidance to local leaders and members to ensure compliance, but would not share any of that guidance with EdNews.
“Our advice was for our local affiliates and members only,” IEA spokesperson Mike Journee wrote to EdNews. “I won’t be commenting on it further than what I provided.”
