The state budget is obviously in bad shape, and projections are that the bad situation will take some time to get better. In tough times like these, the importance of contract negotiations gets magnified, having huge ramifications on a school district’s financial health.
This is why the upcoming 2009 ACSA Symposium for Negotiators is so crucial. Held Jan. 21-23 in San Diego, the symposium will inform, educate and upgrade the skills of management negotiators. It will provide immediate and practical answers for anyone involved in negotiations or who is part of a negotiating team.
Symposium co-chair Eva Chavez, assistant superintendent of human resources for Merced COE, said the bad economic situation is precisely why people should consider attending this event.
“It’s about investing two days worth of time up front to learn from experts on doing the right thing the right way, rather than spending more time and economic resources later to reach or renegotiate agreements,” she said.
Chavez’ symposium co-chair Tanya Krause, assistant superintendent of human resources for Santa Cruz City Schools, said the challenges the budget presents make it all the more important to attend and learn the strategies one will need.
“This year’s symposium will continue to provide new and veteran negotiators and their teams with strategies for the current challenges,” Krause said. “Additionally, there are several opportunities to hear what other districts are doing or not doing for comparative data.”
Krause also noted that there will be some excellent keynote speakers, including attorney Greg Dannis, coach and trainer Paul Starkey, and Ron Bennett of School Services of California. Overall, there will be two-and-a-half days jam-packed with workshops and sessions, all with lots of practical tips for dealing with negotiations.
Krause said the practical information offered will be invaluable, given the state of the budget.
“If you serve on a negotiating team or want to better understand how contract language changes ‘in lieu of’ dollars on the table, has as much as, if not more than, a significant impact to district operations, and programs for students, it is critical you attend,” Krause said. “Additionally, some bargaining units ‘ramp up’ pressure during critical budgetary times and put pressure on negotiating teams and school boards to ‘give up language’ since there is no salary to offer. This can be very dangerous and we want to educate and caution negotiators while providing options for response.”
Indeed, Chavez pointed out that obtaining the information available at the symposium might actually save districts money in the long run.
“It’s cost-effective, in terms of time and budgetary resources, for HR/LR practitioners to seek out the expertise of the labor relations professionals that will be gathered at this event rather than to incur legal expenses on an individual basis,” she said.
More information on the 2009 ACSA Symposium for Negotiators and Negotiation Teams can be obtained by contacting ACSA’s Educational Services Department at (800) 608-ACSA or (650) 692-4300.