The board recognizes its obligation to bargain in good faith on mandatory subjects of bargaining with employee organizations certified by the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board as the exclusive bargaining representatives of district bargaining units.
The board shall be responsible for determining the composition of the board’s negotiating team. The board shall select a chief spokesperson who shall have the authority to represent the board in collective bargaining. The board retains its authority to approve and ratify collective bargaining agreements. The board shall set the parameters and goals for the negotiating team. Periodic strategy sessions shall be conducted with the entire board to maintain open communications with the team.
Neither a public employee nor any employee organization shall negotiate or attempt to negotiate directly with a member of the board of directors if the board has appointed or authorized a bargaining representative for the purpose of bargaining with the employees or their representative, unless the board member is the designated bargaining representative.
Board meetings held to discuss strategy in matters relating to employment conditions of employees, whether covered by collective bargaining agreements or not, are exempt from the Open Meetings Law and may be held without advance notice and without the right of the public to be present. Negotiating sessions with certified employee organizations after the exchange of proposals shall be closed to the public, unless both the board and the employee organization agree to hold the sessions in open. However, the session in which the employee organization presents its initial bargaining position and the session in which the board presents its initial bargaining position shall be open to the public and subject to the Open Meetings Law.
- First Adoption:
- 2003-03-24
- Reviewed Dates:
- April 24, 2016/ November 11, 2018/ August 6, 2023
- Legal Reference:
- 20.10(3), 20.16, 20.17, 21.9, Code of Iowa