GRIEVANCES:
MSO has dropped the Business Technician Job Description grievance. We issued an "understandings" letter to MNEA, basically asking them to confirm that the new, shorter job description equals the longer, more detailed previous job description -- which they did. Also, if any additional duties were to be added, MNEA will follow the processes in the contract.
MSO is determining whether to move forward to arbitration with the Reprimand grievance (a reprimand was issued to one of our members without following the contractual process). MNEA did nothing in the grievance process to give us any information to try to resolve it. We will keep you posted on this one.
MSO has issued a complaint to MNEA regarding their one line, no details, no effort to work it out type of responses to our grievances. We used to get responses with REAL REASONS why they were denying it. Lately, it's just "we see no contractual violation...so the grievance is denied" type of responses. It sure doesn't give us any information so we can see where they are coming from -- and definitely doesn't give leave us any avenue to try to come to some type of resolution. We'll see if they make any effort to improve their communication...
BARGAINING:
AS you know, MSO was at the table with MNEA for bargaining on May 2 & 3. We bargain again on June 1.
UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE:
MSO has a duty to protect and defend their members. Therefore, MSO is filing an Unfair Labor Practice this week against MNEA for their "guilty" findings regarding Bullying charges against two of our MSO officers. These two MSO members received a written reprimand in their personnel file because of it. MSO believes that MNEA violated section 8.a.3. of the National Labor Relations Act, which prohibits discrimination against union members for union activities. MSO believes that if MNEA had done an honest, thorough investigation (as outlined in the Bullying policy), they would have found the charges were not substantiated. We'll keep you posted on this one, too.
