Debate, discussion and democracy are the most essential aspects of the legislative process. Theygo hand-in-hand, and without one, the other two don’t work.
Monday marked the start of the fifth week of the House Democrat walkout. Their absence has halted all House of Representative’s action because we need at least seven Democrat House members to be present in order to conduct business. Since we have been short that number, for five weeks now, there is very little we can do in the House of Representatives.
As a result, Speaker Brian Bosma and Sen. Pro Temp David Long announced their plans last week to allow House Republican members to work with the Senate in order to continue the democratic process. Meaning, we can participate in crafting the legislation, we just can’t vote on legislation within committee.
It completely baffles me that we are in this unfortunate situation in the first place, but Republicans are at least trying to make the best of it.
We were elected to serve our communities within the Indiana House of Representatives. The members that are here to serve their constituency are being forced to piggyback with the Senate, in order to give their communities a voice. This is not how the democratic process should happen. I have constituents who depend on me to let their voice be heard and in the right chamber.
One item that the Democrats keep demanding our caucus to take off the calendar has to do with collective bargaining. In fact, they keep telling their audience that we are trying to completely do away with collective bargaining process altogether. Once again, this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Teachers, administrators, superintendents and principals deserve to have collective bargaining and no one is trying to take that right away. The legislation that is currently making its way through the legislature adjusts collective bargaining agreements in a way that makes them more effective and appropriate.
Senate Bill 575 deals with wages and wage related benefits. It does not eliminate teachers’ right to collective bargain. However, too many unnecessary collective bargain agreements have spurred the debate.
We received a 12-page document that lists several examples of provisions included in collective bargaining agreements around the state. The lists includes what schools have what provisions in their agreements. For example:
- Teacher’s lounges must be attractive, comfortable and spacious (School City of East Chicago);
- Teachers may not be required to report more than 20 minutes before the class day begins (Michigan City);
- Teachers must work only 120 days a year and receive full annual credit for pay increases (Merrillville; Crown Point; Madison Consolidated Schools);
- Teachers shall be reimbursed for up to $100 dollars per year for membership in one professional organization of their choice (North Judson);
- Teachers with 5 years of experience may only be evaluated once every 3 years (Lake Central; Anderson);
- Negative material in a teacher’s personnel file for more than three years may not be considered for disciplinary purposes (Marion);
- Teachers choose their own classroom assignments based on seniority (School of East Chicago);
- Non-permanent teachers must be fired twice. Non-permanent teachers are dismissed through procedures established in the contract, then granted protections in state law (Tippecanoe School Corporation);
- Teachers assigned outside their major or minor shall not receive an unfavorable evaluation (Crawford County Community Schools);
- During a “Reduction in Force,” a teacher with tied seniority will be dismissed on birth date (IPS); blind draw (Munster); roll of a die (East Allen County); sum of the last four digits of the social security number (Fort Wayne Community Schools);
- The President of the Union is released two periods early each day (School of East Chicago); and
- The President of the Association or his/her designee together shall be allowed a total of 50 days of Association leave per year (Marion).
Collective bargaining isn’t a bad concept, but it should be used properly to help protect teachers and their wages. However, some agreements, like the ones listed above, include regulations that are unnecessary. But most of all, this issue deserves a debate.
If you would like a complete list of the publication referred to above, please visit my Statehouse Web site at www.in.gov/h58.
