How did this new bargaining unit come about?
The new bargaining unit for classified managers came about as a result of many managers approaching Associated Administrators of Los Angeles (AALA) with workplace issues and seeking assistance and relief. Recognizing managers’ need for its own bargaining unit, AALA reached an agreement with the Superintendent for the District to provide AALA with the names and contact information of employees who qualify for membership.
What job positions are part of the new bargaining unit?
As of September 2011, there are 87 distinct positions within the new unit. They include Directors, Deputy Directors, Managers, and Specialists in Facilities, Fiscal Services, Food Services, ITD, and Transportation. Click on the following link to see the full list of positions approved for the bargaining unit, classified job list.
How do I join?
Information will be forthcoming.
How much will membership cost?
Dues will be determined by the new unit’s members. Members may choose to model their dues structure on AALA’s. Among the nine bargaining units at LAUSD, AALA’s dues are the lowest at $38.75 per month.
For that low fee, AALA’s members have access to attorneys specializing in labor law, expert contract negotiators, a team of consultants and field representative to represent members in discipline situations, analysis of Board actions and budgets, weekly updates with job listings, and networking events throughout the year. AALA members also have representatives regularly advocating on their behalf with the Superintendent, at the LAUSD School Board, the Public Employment Relations Board, the State Board of Education, and at state and federal levels of government.
Will classified members have their own bargaining unit separate from certificated AALA members?
The membership of the new unit will determine their organizational structure within AALA, as planned and recommended by a team of classified leaders and AALA.
Does my job title have to be “manager?”
No, as you probably know LAUSD has many different job titles meaning a variety of things. Among terms included are “specialist,” “supervisor,” “head,” “director,” “senior,” “chief,” “administrator,” “deputy,” “coordinator,” etc.
If you have received e-mails from AALA (rsvp@aala.us) about the new unit you are on the list provided by the District. The group represents managers from across the district and ranges from Food Services, to Transportation to Information and Technology Division to Facilities.
Why did AALA sponsor this effort to form a new bargaining unit for classified managers?
Many AALA members had been promoted to classified management positions within the District and consequently lost their representation. They regularly reported missing the many benefits of membership with AALA.
Secondly, AALA understood that when classified managers were laid-off, it was often their certificated members at the school sites who were forced to deal with the impact. AALA knows the critical role classified managers play in the functioning of the school district.
Why is membership important?
Times are difficult in the district and there is no guarantee that things will get better. Whether it is parking fees, furlough days, calendar changes, contracting out, or worse, layoffs, District-represented employees were simply the easiest target of all.
The AALA team has developed significant expertise in due process rights, fighting for fair and equitable working conditions, working to get the best health benefits possible and has negotiated many advantageous contracts for their members. Classified managers deserve no less than other District employees!
What can the unit do about furlough days?
When AALA’s members were asked to take furlough days in 2010, it was able to negotiate saving over 160 jobs! When many of your colleagues were moved to B-basis they lost 40 days pay (a 15.33% pay cut) and then were hit again with furlough days! Seems patently unfair but with no one there to represent them, many classified managers had to deal with two financial blows.
Until the unit was officially formed, it could not do much but accept furlough days. Now, AALA will ensure that furlough days is a priority issue in negotiations.
What if I am retiring?
Your participation is as important as ever! For one, as a member of the bargaining unit, your retiree dues (once established) will keep you connected to what’s happening in the District. Secondly, within AALA there is a strong retirees’ contingent that relies on AALA to fight to maintain high quality health benefits, a representative to assist with health benefit issues, as well as access to many of the services regular members enjoy all for $45 a year!
Do any other school districts have bargaining units for their classified managers?
Yes, in fact there are several in California. The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is the largest among them. The following link will lead you to a three-year contract the OUSD negotiated with the Unified Administrators of Oakland Schools (UAOS) which represents classified and certificated managers: http://www.aalausd.org/linkto/link.aspx?id=oakland
San Diego Unified School District is home to the Administrators Association of San Diego City Schools (AASD @ http://www.aasdcs.org) that represents just classified managers. The link to their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) follows: http://www.aalausd.org/linkto/link.aspx?id=sandiego
What is AALA’s history?
AALA has been proudly serving certificated professionals (mostly principals and assistant principals) within LAUSD for 30 years. Since 1981 it has grown from a loosely formed association of certificated middle managers into a bargaining unit, ultimately agreeing to a formal union contract with the district in 1991.
The association has a history of successfully representing its members in a variety of venues whether it is negotiating with the Board of Education or advocating in front of the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). In fact, AALA recently argued and won from PERB the right to represent over 60 certificated directors and other administrators.
Contact info: 213-484-2426
Email: rsvp@aala.us