Bargaining 2/9/21

The HEA/HSD bargaining team met on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 from 4:00-5:00 pm at the Lincoln Center Board Room. All members were in attendance with the exception of Trustee McKee. Max Hallfrisch from the Department of Labor and Industry is serving as our facilitator.

During the meeting we produced the following Ground Rules document. This document covers the rules under which all parties will adhere to during the Interest-Based Bargaining process. We also agreed to hold our next meeting on Wednesday, February 23 beginning at 4:00 pm at the Lincoln Center Board Room. This meeting will be posted on the school district website with a TEAMS link for observation use by interested persons.

Please continue to monitor this website for further updates!

IBB Ground Rules February 9, 2022 Contract Negotiations 2022 Helena Public Schools 1. Teams:  Labor (10 members) Anna Alger, Adam Clinch, Joanne Didriksen, Kelly Elder, Bob Korizek, Erika McMillin, Paul Phillips, Jonna Schwartz, Jake Warner, Jane Shawn  Management ( 9 members) Rex Weltz, Superintendent; Janelle Mickelson, Business and Finance; Stacy Collette, HR Director; Josh McKay, Assistant Superintendent; Brett Zanto, High School Administrator; Dave Thennis, CR Anderson; Wynn Randall, Elementary Principal; Terry Beaver; Jennifer McKee  A quorum is reached if there is not more than 2 member(s) missing from each team. 2. Timing  Meeting times will be arranged on an as needed basis by consensus. The location will be in-district, generally at the LINCOLN CENTER BOARD ROOM building. Meetings will not go past 5:30 – PUSH TO 6PM, unless mutually agreed upon by consensus. Consensus was to start the meetings at 4:00PM  Goal for completion of negotiations: present for approval at April 2022 Board meeting or sooner.  The goal for ratification: Prior to expiration on June 30, 2022. 3. Non-member attendees  Observers will be allowed (by law), but may not participate in the negotiation process.  Experts/resource people – Will be invited as mutually agreed upon in advance of the invitation. 4. Communication  Documents will be posted to the school website as they become available.

Appoint someone from Labor and someone from Management to review the notes from the meeting each session – and post to the websites (HPS and HEA). Can we have a spokesperson from each team to craft a narrative – to explain the process/meeting – then attach the notes per meeting. (choose representatives from the end of this meeting – then push out)  If there is a request from the Press, they will be referred to the website. Create a joint statement by both parties to share to the press if requested.  Communication to constituents (negotiation updates) will be at the discretion of the IBB teams. Answer the question with best intentions to learn through interests and work as a team. Share data, information – what is on the website and what materials have been used for the discussions. Encourage people to attend / witness the meetings, meet with their leadership of their respective team.  Specific issues, interests or other discussions will not be attributed to specific team members. 5. Caucus  Caucuses will be allowed, but will be kept to a minimum. Each party has the right to call for a caucus or a break. If the caucus or break will take longer than 15 minutes, the other team will be given a best estimate of time needed. Upon return, teams are not required to disclose the subject or specifics of the caucus. A designated caucus room will be provided for each team outside of the board room. 6. Information Processing  Note taking for the group will be on laptop. 1 management and 1 labor will be the note taker and will be completed prior to adjourning the meeting. Labor and management will alternate note taking. 7. Bargaining Information  Agreement to full and open information sharing as needed to resolve issues. 8. Contract Language  Contract language will be written at the time a consensus solution is reached when possible. If necessary to do away from the process, the writing assignment will be done immediately after consensus by one member from each team, and then reviewed for consensus by the entire committee when completed.  Contract language will be made available to constituents after consensus, with final approval at next meeting.

 Current contract language that is unchanged continues unchanged in new contract, unless it has a sunset clause. 10. Ground Rule Changes  Any changes in the ground rules must be made by consensus. 11. Miscellaneous Process  When there is a failure to reach agreement after reasonable length of time, agreement will be reached on disposition (see below) of issue prior to moving on to the next issue. 9. Items for Discussion  Wages are the only item open for negotiations this year.

Dispositions: (end process with issue) 1. Issue will be tied to a related issue. 2. Postpone issue until a specific juncture. 3. Issue set aside until last. 4. Refer to a sub-committee to work on so as not to hold up the current process. 5. Withdrawal of issue, remain with current contract language. 6. IBB process ends (by final agreement or converting to traditional).  No personal attacks.  There will be one and only one conversation  All agreements to be by consensus  No is not an acceptable answer without an explanation or response.  A consensus reached cannot be changed by disagreement of someone absent at the meeting in which consensus was reached  There is no ownership of ideas  Full participation by all members  Process concerns should be raised when they occur  Probing the link between interest and option is desirable  At the end of each session, check on the need to “sum up before we standup”

 Stories will be submitted electronically prior to the meeting.