The #1 seed Detroit Lions have time before their next challenge. They will use it to prepare.  You have time before this year’s bargaining sessions. Will you use it to prepare?

Bargaining season is coming up. For districts with labor contracts expiring this summer, now is the time to begin preparing for your labor group negotiations. It may feel early, but to quote Dan Campbell, “We all know it’s still going to come down to the prep and we’ve got to put the work in.” And the work will be challenging.  Changes in the law the past few years have removed prohibitions on bargaining certain subjects, putting them back table. With more topics on the table, an unclear picture of the state budget, and continued pressures to provide more services, it may be more difficult than ever to reach an agreement that is fiscally responsible for your district while also satisfying the labor groups.  

Being prepared for the negotiation process requires your team to have knowledge of your district’s current financial situation and an understanding of revenue, expense and fund balance trends over the past few years. Likewise, knowing how your district stacks up to nearby peer districts will give your bargaining team an edge when the inevitable comparisons between your compensation offer and those of other districts are raised. There are several sources available to obtain the relevant data (such as FTE counts, fund balance trends, revenue/expense reports, etc.), including MASB’s own Employment Relations Information Network.

Along with district-specific comparisons, matching actual community demographics can be helpful as well. Oftentimes, bargaining units will make compensation comparisons between your district and another but will (inevitably) choose a comparison district that your district does not match up with favorably. By developing your own comprehensive comparison presentation your team can demonstrate that it is offering a competitive compensation package given the relevant market. Such a presentation can incorporate not only district enrollment and revenue numbers but also community measurements such as median income, unemployment, overall population and the like. Finally, while this data may not always be considered compelling by the group sitting across from you at the bargaining table, having it available to the community at large (by posting it on the district website) can help inform and educate district residents. Likewise, if negotiations prove unfruitful, having an accurate and concise data presentation already compiled will put your team that much farther ahead going into Mediation or Fact Finding. 

MASB will be hosting a Labor Relations Conference on February 21, 2025, in Lansing, which will address some of the new challenges facing school districts in this, and future bargaining seasons. If you have questions, please contact MASB's Labor Relations Department.