Teacher Dispute Paper
...keep moving forward. However, it appears that Holland Public Schools are reluctant to negotiate any aspect of the contract. Now the details of the contract are not known at this time but we do know that healthcare is one of the main aspects of the contract. According to the Public Employment Relations act 336 of 1947 employees of public schools who impose a work stoppage or strike shall be penalized by the school district. An amendment of this Public Act 112, which was passed by the legislature in 1994 and upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court in 1996, which stipulates much like it did in the Public Act 336 58 years ago that striking government employees will or can be fined one day's pay for each day they refuse to work. Fines have reduced striking of government employees over the past 9+ years but the discharge of employees is also a possible. However, fines may be imposed only by the school district if they choose to enforce the issue. The school board knows it is illegal for teachers to strike or have a walkout and the court uphold this law. Therefore, since these laws that have been put into place, it somewhat makes for an unfair bargaining system. Furthermore, the supreme court of Michigan upholds this law. Since the Public Act 112 was put into effect there have not been any strikes in Michigan because of the penalties and fines. Despite the public act 112 Holland teachers are prepared for a walkout if the school board imposed an illegal contract. An illegal contract is considered to be a contract that is not collectively bargained between the two parties. Furthermore, the Holland Public Schools reminded their employees that they will not tolerate any illegal activity such as striking or walking out of the job. The district plans to take action on any future illegal activity that may arise. Holland Public Schools are not the first school district to have a problem with where school teachers have mentioned a potential walkout due to an unsigned contract. For example, Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) is another school district with about 180,000 students that would be affec...