Union and district agree to revised bereavement days; debate continues over keeping policy language in master agreement

Bargaining teams agreed to revise certificated bereavement leave to four school days for level-1 relationships (spouse, parents, children) and three days for level-2 relationships. The teams also agreed that employees who must conduct or participate in a service will not have to use personal leave if they provide proof to human resources; additional time may be granted by written request to the superintendent.

The change was the subject of extended discussion about whether policy language should be placed in the negotiated master agreement or kept solely as board policy. Superintendent Spencer Larson explained that board policy is the board’s responsibility and that embedding policy in a negotiated agreement can limit the board’s ability to change policy. MCEA leaders argued that existing policy text in the master agreement preserves long-standing protections and called the document “our bible.” MCEA Co-President Nicole Toner said, “This is our bible. This is what we have worked 57 years for,” and asked that current policy language be retained and that only new or changed policies be updated.

After caucusing, negotiators agreed to the compromise reflected in the meeting notes: adopt the revised bereavement wording (4 days level 1; 3 days level 2), keep existing policies that have not changed, and update wording only for policies that have changed this year (for example, emergency-closure language and the sick-leave bank wording). The teams recorded that any policy changes included in the master agreement would still require ratification and that the master agreement itself must be ratified to remain in force beyond its June 30 expiration.

Next steps: MCEA will survey members and collect formal proposals before a final master-agreement draft is prepared; both sides plan a follow-up meeting to finalize the agreement language and proceed to ratification and, as needed, board action.