QUESTIONS FOR EDUCATION ARBITRATION PANEL NOMINEES

Topic:
APPOINTMENT TO OFFICE; EDUCATION (GENERAL); EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE NOMS. COMMITTEE; STATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; STATE OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES;
Location:
EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE;

OLR Research Report


February 28, 2005		2005-R-0275
QUESTIONS FOR EDUCATION ARBITRATION PANEL NOMINEES

By: Soncia Coleman, Research Analyst

GENERAL QUESTIONS FOR ALL NOMINEES

1. Municipal officials, news media, and members of the public are often highly critical of the teacher binding arbitration law and of arbitrators’ decisions on particular contracts. How do such criticisms affect your decisions as an arbitrator?

2. The Teacher Negotiation Act (TNA) requires arbitrators to give priority to the public interest and the school district’s financial capability in deciding issues. Do these two factors ever conflict? How do you give priority to both?

3. Does the fact that voters in certain districts have repeatedly rejected local education budgets weigh in your consideration of a district’s financial capability?

4. What is your opinion of the “last-best-offer” system?

QUESTIONS FOR ARBITRATORS REPRESENTING PARTIES

1. You will be representing the interests of parties in arbitration decisions. How do you seek to influence the outcome?

2. Do you ever vote against the offer of the party whose interests you represent? In what type of situation would such a vote be justified?

SC: ts