Sisters and Brothers,
It continues being an important time to learn, communicate, and collaborate with the LAUSD Executive Cabinet, Cabinet Staff, Labor Relations, and board members to ensure a common language, a common understanding, and common expectations for implementing our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with fidelity across every LAUSD region.
That means every level of our AALA Teamsters organization is protected by the same hard-earned contractual language—whether you work at Beaudry, in a region, at a school site, and the many locations where our Unit J members work. The protections and rights negotiated in our CBA belong to all of us.
We have never before had language that so clearly recognizes professionalism, respect, sound judgment, and the extended hours sometimes required to get the job done. We have also never before negotiated an agreement calling us to lead differently. Let us assume positive intentions, exercise professional judgment, and navigate ambiguity as trusted professionals.
Our contract empowers each of us to be our own steward of time and responsibilities by using sound judgment to manage our workloads. We continue prioritizing tasks, and completing the core duties outlined in our job descriptions.
We are professionals. We work hard. We have a high work ethic. We do not need to be micromanaged or treated like teenagers who must ask permission at every turn.
Here is this week‘s recap of the hot topics and what you need to know.
1. Flexible Time: It Is Not “Earned Time.”
We have calibrated our understanding with Labor Relations. The common understanding between AALA/Teamsters and the District is there are times when the work requires an extension beyond the 8-hour day and 40-hour workweek established in the contract as a reasonable expectation.
Flexible time exists within this professional framework. It allows employees to manage their time and responsibilities while recognizing the importance of self-care, family responsibilities, and personal emergencies when life happens.
What do you need to know and do?
You do not ask for permission to use flexible time.
You provide notice according to the protocols in the contract and state:
- The amount of flex time you will use, up to 4 hours
- The date
- The time
That is all the information needed.
Less is better. You do not need to provide a detailed explanation or justify your personal circumstances.
If you provide notice consistent with the contract and your supervisor denies your flexible time, call US, your UNION. We will exercise the due process and grievance rights and protections provided by our CBA.
Important reminder:
There are no flexible time logs employees are required to submit. Your notice is sufficient for record keeping.
If a supervisor identifies a pattern involving alleged abuse of flexible time, performance, or task completion, those concerns are addressed through the appropriate provisions in Article VII, Evaluations and Due Process; and not through the creation of additional requirements not in the contract.
This applies equally to all AALA /Teamster members working at Beaudry, regions, and school sites.
Implementation must be consistent, coherent, and have parity across the organization. If contract language is being implemented differently from one location to another, this may constitute a violation of the CBA and is grievable.
Read your contract. Know your rights. Know the language protecting you. (https://bit.ly/3U93h4Z Article X 1.3 pp. 24-26)
2. Work Hours vs. Operating Hours
This distinction is important.
For example, an elementary school may have operating hours of approximately 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office must be appropriately staffed during operating hours, and administrators have a responsibility to ensure that happens.
However, operating hours are not the same thing as an administrator‘s work schedule.
Our contract establishes an 8-hour workday, not a rigid, one-size-fits-all schedule.
The work of an administrator varies from day to day. Meetings, school events, emergencies, student needs, staff needs, community responsibilities, and district obligations can all affect when and how the work gets done.
Another important clarification: There may have been a previous practice in Beaudry, regions, and some school sites where employees worked a 9-hour day with an expectation of demanding employees take a one-hour lunch.
This is not a contractual requirement.
Labor law provides for a minimum 30-minute duty-free meal period under applicable circumstances. There is no contractual expectation a supervisor directs an employee to take a one-hour lunch.
If you are being directed to take a one-hour lunch in a manner inconsistent with the contract or applicable law, CALL US. We will determine the appropriate action.
(https://bit.ly/3U93h4Z Article X 1.3 pg. 24)
3. Classroom Visits & Feedback: MY PGS – No Quotas
Let‘s be equally clear about classroom visits and feedback:
There are NO quotas.
There is no contractual requirement establishing a specific number of classroom visits a principal, assistant principal, or director must complete.
There is also no requirement making MyPGS be the only platform used to document observations or provide feedback.
Our contract recognizes we are professionals and leaders. Use your professional judgment to establish systems and structures that work for your leadership style and the needs of your school, staff, and students. Keep in mind there must be evidence to share with supervisors upon request.
The purpose is coaching, mentoring, improving practice, and supporting professional growth and not checking boxes to satisfy an artificial quota.
Therefore, there should be no reports generated or required at any level of the organization simply to show the number of classroom visits a principal, assistant principal, or director has entered into MyPGS.
If you are being directed to meet a specific number of visits, to use the MyPGS platform, or produce and receive reports based on an alleged quota, CALL US.
(https://bit.ly/3U93h4Z Article X 4.0 pg. 26)
Three Things to Remember
1. KNOW YOUR CONTRACT.
Our CBA is not a suggestion. It is a negotiated agreement establishing our rights, protections, responsibilities, and expectations. Read it. Understand it. Use it.
2. EXERCISE YOUR PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT.
We negotiated language recognizing us as professionals. Lead with sound judgment. Manage your time. Prioritize your responsibilities. Assume positive intentions. Do the work and trust your professional judgment to determine how to get it done.
3. STAND TOGETHER AND CALL YOUR UNION.
Consistency matters. Parity matters. Contract enforcement matters. Whether you work at Beaudry, in a region, or at a school site, you are protected by the same hard-earned agreement.
We did not negotiate this contract to return to old practices, inconsistent implementation, micromanagement, or permission-based management. We negotiated this contract and fought hard to improve working conditions and return humanity and respect for the work we do.
We negotiated it to recognize professionals as professionals.
We will continue educating, communicating, collaborating, and holding both parties accountable to the language we negotiated.
Know your rights. Use your voice. Trust your professional judgment. And when the contract is not being honored make sure to call us.
Together, we protect the language. Together, we protect each other. Together, we ensure our CBA is implemented as negotiated.
In Unity and Solidarity,
Maria
