SBOs — in accordance with Article 8B of the contract — allow staff the flexibility to collaboratively modify contractual articles and/or create positions that the contract does not automatically allow for. An SBO is adopted in a school when 55 percent of the UFT members who vote support it.
The following are some examples of the SBO modifications to the collective-bargaining agreement or Department of Education regulations that you and your colleagues can make:
· Change the configuration of the extended time
· Move evening and afternoon parent conferences to the same day
· Create a block program
· Start the school day before 8 a.m. or end it after 3:45 p.m.
· Decrease the contractual class size limits for lower achieving classes, and increase class size limits for higher achieving classes.
The SBO remains in effect for only one school year. It must be renewed every year to continue. The only SBO modification that does not sunset at the end of the school year is changing from an eight-period day to a seven-period day for elementary schools. If your school wishes to return to an eight-period day, another SBO is required to revert back.
Article 7 SBOs
All schools may also create or renew compensatory-time jobs using an Article 7 SBO. In elementary schools, these out-of-classroom positions may, for example, include dean, testing coordinator, bilingual coordinator and staff developer. At the middle and high school levels, compensatory-time jobs may, for example, include administrative assistant, site coordinator, unit coordinator, senior advisor, college advisor and yearbook advisor. If you hold a compensatory-time job that is not renewed the following year, you return to a full teaching program. If the job is restored in a subsequent year, and you still have time left in that comp-time position, you will have first dibs at the position.
The ratification process
The chapter leader should survey the school’s staff to gauge interest in the SBOs under consideration. The survey, which can be done either informally by a show of hands at a union meeting or formally on paper, helps the chapter leader decide whether or not to pursue those SBOs and whether to put a particular SBO up for a vote.
It is at the sole discretion of the chapter leader whether or not an SBO goes to a formal vote. Voting, if it occurs, is by secret ballot following the procedures used in chapter leader elections. Only UFT members in the school are eligible to vote on SBOs; agency fee payers are not.
Chapter leaders must notify members of the date, time and place for the vote and where and when ballots will be counted. Absentee ballots are not permitted.
Ballots must describe exactly what modification is being proposed, including the contractual article being modified. Each SBO proposal must be voted on separately.
If an SBO proposal fails to win the support of a majority of those who voted, the school reverts to the collective-bargaining agreement. A new SBO, however, can be proposed and voted on.
The description of the compensatory-time jobs in an SBO should include the duties and time allotted. Each compensatory-time job must be voted on separately.
Out-of-classroom jobs that are not subject to the SBO process, including lunchroom coordinator, ESL coordinator and high school programmer, must be posted.
An SBO is ratified when 55 percent of the UFT members who actually vote — not 55 percent of all UFT members at the school — support it. All SBOs must be signed by the UFT district rep and UFT president, as well as the chancellor.
If you or your chapter leader has questions or concerns about the proposed SBOs in your school, contact your district representative immediately. Do not wait until the process is completed to voice those concerns.
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