AISD Inches Toward Consultation Deal

Education Austin Co-President Rae Nwosu (Photo by Jana Birchum)

Austin ISD is getting closer to settling its seemingly never-ending fight over employee consultation. On March 30 the administration finally released its latest draft policy, replacing the old exclusive consultation agent policy with a new inclusive/exclusive model – one that would leave Education Aus­tin as the prime negotiating partner but formalize its outreach to nonmembers.

AISD has had an exclusive consultation agreement in place for at least four decades (see "Austin Education vs. Education Austin," Feb. 17), under which one group – currently Education Austin – is selected by employee votes. But last fall the administration suddenly and unexpectedly got squeamish about abiding by the deal and convinced the board to review the policy. The new proposal introduces two major changes. First, the consultation agent will be elected for two years, rather than the current four. However, the biggest shift may be the addition of a new body, the consultation agent advisory council. Currently, the consultation agreement simply requires that the agent regularly "obtain and analyze input" from employees and other labor groups. The new proposal creates a formal council with one representative from each of the district's 12 vertical teams and one representing nonsupervisory staff at AISD headquarters at the Carruth Administration Center, the Baker Center, and the AISD technology offices at Skyline. The deal also proposes a seat at the table for any employee organization that represents more than 5% of all nonsupervisory professional employees. That should guarantee the presence of the Association of Texas Professional Educators – traditionally Education Austin's biggest challenger for the consultation agent post and also the loudest opponent of the current system. However, that 5% target could leave the next two largest groups – the Texas Classroom Teachers Association and the Southwestern Workers Association – out in the cold. Education Austin Co-President Rae Nwosu said she was satisfied with the new terms and felt they would improve outreach to the campuses and further unify the voice of employees in dealings with the district.

Trustees are expected to vote on the measure at their April 23 meeting, but at the April 2 work session, board President Mark Williams asked the administration to take the proposal out for further employee input. Trustees Robert Schneid­er and Cheryl Bradley both expressed grave concern about further stretching an already tortured process, as the current agreement expires on May 1 and the board has extended it twice. Annette LoVoi cautioned Williams about how the input would be sought, and noted that the district's recent surveys have been controversial for how they have been conducted. And fellow at-large member Tamala Barksdale was concerned about the board asking for feedback without knowing how they will use it. Williams, who said that he is not likely to vote for the proposal anyway, replied, "I can't tell you what I'm going do with it, because I don't know what they're going to say."