Re “Teachers Union Files Against the School District, Cites Gourley Move”
“I don’t believe I have done anything wrong,” School Board President Steve Gourley said this morning in responding to a Teachers Union announcement that it has filed an accusation of “unfair labor practices” against the School District, linked to Mr. Gourley.
Specifically, Union President David Mielke asserted that Mr. Gourley interfered with ongoing contract negotiations “by communicating directly with bargaining unit members…and outlined a proposal for salary reductions.” In Monday’s edition, Mr. Mielke said, in a letter to union members and the community, that while School Board members “can and should communicate with employees,” individual Board members “cannot outline their own personal proposals.” The District, he noted, has not proposed any salary cuts.
Mr. Gourley, never reticent about placing his opinion on the table, indicated the union had bitten off a mouthful by taking action against him.
“Here is what we are talking about,” said the Board president. “Mr. Mielke encourages his people to write to School Bard members, and when Board members write back, honestly and truthfully, he takes actions against that or those Board members to keep them from speaking the truth to the union.”
Chastising the District
Mr. Mielke was prepared. “Especially now with cuts and furloughs,” he told the newspaper this morning, “I think it is important for the School District to play by the rules.
Mr. Gourley said his first reaction was that the filing with the Public Employment Relations Board “was unfortunate.
“It puts me in the position of not being able to respond to questions from employees of the District.”
The legal process probably will take awhile to play out, the Teachers Union president said. “PERB is a state agency that has had cutbacks, and their offices are closed periodically due to furlough days,” said Mr. Mielke. “Eventually, there will be a hearing. I think the result, if decided in our favor, would just be an order that the District stop these unfair practices.”
Mr. Gourley, an attorney by day, said he does not understand the nature of his alleged violation. “I will have to let the lawyers who are experts on this area consider this,” he said. “My understanding is that if the PERB doesn’t think this has any merit, they can dismiss it without any consideration whatsoever. I am certainly hoping that will be the outcome.”
