The Anatomy of Negotiations
February 22, 2013 1 Comment
On February 4, 2013 Dixon Education Association negotiation member Mr. Ricks and Mrs. Sondergren-Baar spoke in a sidebar with Board negotiators. The DEA requested that there be a non-binding session to discuss contract language BEFORE the February 25th official negotiating session that was scheduled.
Board members said that they would NOT meet without the Board’s attorney. However, when asked by Mr. Ricks if the attorney would be available to attend bargaining sessions in event of a strike, the board members assured Mr. Ricks that they would make sure that he (the lawyer) would clear his calendar in that event. The DEA would like to know, if he would be availabe to come then, why couldn’t he do it before it came to a work stoppage that would throw an entire commnuity into turmoil?
Mr. Ricks and Mrs. Barr should be nominated for a Nobel Peace prize for their tireless, clear-headed work during this negotiations process, especially in light of all the stonewalling the other side has done. The DEA has bargained in good faith while the other side has been entirely disingenuous. Do NOT fail to note the THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS of dollars it is costing the district to have their lawyer come down from Chicago; of course he will clear his calendar is the event of a strike. This is just a big $$ job to him.