August 29 Blog

I appreciate the opportunity to listen to outside speakers who are experts in their area and have a lot of experience in collective bargaining. I really enjoyed listening to Jay Greening. He gave a lot of practical advise like don't always say no, preparation is critical, provide only one sheet of finances to the union to keep it simple, etc. One comment he made that I completely agree with and will try to do as a superintendent is, "The best districts are one where district office and union leadership have a good relationship." I believe this can head off or resolve a lot of issues before they ever begin or explode; thus, making negotiations easier and quicker. I don't think it has to be an us against them type of relationship.