Northside AFT delivers 450-signature petition asking board to update campus access and grievance timelines

Leaders of Northside AFT presented the board with more than 450 petitions asking the district to revise outdated local policies governing employee organizations and grievance timelines.

The request, made by Northside AFT President Melina Espirito Asokar and Vice President Tracy Jordan, asked the board to update DGB(Local) to require campus principals and administrators to respond to union access requests and to allow employees to meet one-on-one with a union or employee organization during non-instructional, duty-free lunch periods. They also asked for an update to DGBA(Local) to establish clear timelines for grievance hearings.

The union speakers said the current DGB language dates to 1988, permits principals broad discretion to deny access even for prescheduled meetings, and prevents organizers from meeting staff during duty-free lunch. "It limits communication, undermines fairness, and blocks workers from the support they deserve," Espirito Asokar said. Jordan added that allowing structured access and grievance timelines would promote collaboration, transparency and early problem-solving between campus leaders and employee organizations.

District staff acknowledged the request and confirmed the policies are on staff's review list; trustees did not vote on policy changes at the meeting. A district representative said neighboring large Texas districts already provide structured access and that Texas law permits reasonable access without implying district endorsement of any organization.

What happens next: union leaders said they had submitted petitions that night and expected the district to return with proposed policy language. The trustees were asked to consider the request through the district's policy review process; no formal commitment or schedule for revisions was made in open session.

Ending: Union leaders said they would follow up with district staff and that their members sought modest, transparent changes that would not change instructional time or endorse any organization.