It is commonly observed that elementary and secondary teachers often work in isolation and that providing opportunities for teachers to work together helps improve student outcomes. But it can be difficult to find time for teacher collaboration, whether in professional learning communities, grade-level teams, or other collaborative groups. Given the extensive role of collective bargaining agreements in governing teachers’ hours and working conditions, this study explores the role of collective bargaining in creating time for teacher collaboration. Using legal and content analyses, the study examines scope-of-bargaining statutes in each state to determine the extent to which district and union leaders are required to bargain over teacher time. It also uses the content-analysis methodology to review how collective bargaining agreements from thirty-one of the nation’s largest school districts restrict or promote teacher time for collaboration. The study concludes that collective bargaining plays a considerable role in teacher collaboration time. Not only do most states have statutes that require stakeholders to bargain to create opportunities for collaboration time, the resulting collective bargaining agreements directly and indirectly affect time for collaboration. These findings establish that in almost all states where collective bargaining is required, school officials and teachers cannot advance teacher collaboration without the assistance of collective bargaining. Moreover, success in creating collaboration time depends largely on how the collective bargaining agreements restrict or promote that time. In light of these findings, the study recommends that local leaders and state policymakers take steps to promote teacher collaboration through collective bargaining by (1) prioritizing and reducing teacher workload; (2) removing teacher duty-hour limits; (3) expanding noninstructional time, including through additional teacher-collaboration set-asides; and (4) involving school leadership in determining how noninstructional time is used.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Collective bargaining has gained more prominence within the industrial relations system as the latter is undergoing a worldwide transformation process. None of the effects of this transformation process is potentially more important to workers than the impact on dispute resolution. Changes in world markets furthermore necessitate a renewed emphasis on quality of products and services. Within this context labour conflicts in the public service have potential crucial consequences for the South African government's ability to promote economic development and service delivery. The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) with its nine provincial chambers provides the infrastructure for collective bargaining in the public education sector and plays an important role in managing conflict and disputes within this sector. The goal of this research is to determine whether the Western Cape provincial chamber of the ELRC (PELRC) is effective in the fulfilment of its statutory functions, with specific reference to its collective bargaining and dispute resolution functions. Data has been collected by conducting interviews using an interview schedule. The research indicated that the PELRC does perform its statutory collective bargaining and dispute resolution functions. The PELRC, however, is more active in terms of dispute resolution than collective bargaining. The research established that the PELRC does not measure its effectiveness. Results were inconclusive regarding the PELRC's effectiveness in terms of its service delivery. The research, though did manage to identify those factors that contribute to effectiveness as well as those that counter it. It furthermore indicated that when effective, the PELRC's service delivery has a positive impact on the said statutory functions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kollektiewe bedinging het in vernaamheid binne die arbeidsverhoudinge sisteem toegeneem soos wat laasgenoemde 'n wêreldwye transformasie proses ondergaan. Geen van die gevolge van hierdie transformasie proses is vir werkers moontlik belangriker as die invloed wat dit op dispuut oplossing het nie. Veranderinge binne wêreld markte het verder 'n hernuwe klem op die kwaliteit van produkte en dienste genoodsaak. Binne hierdie verband het arbeidskonflik in die staatsdiens potensieel kritieke gevolge vir die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se vermoë om ekonomiese ontwikkeling en dienslewering te bevorder. Die Raad van Arbeidsverhoudinge in die Onderwys (RAVO) met sy nege provinsiale kamers verskaf die infrastruktuur vir kollektiewe bedinging in die openbare onderwys sektor en speel 'n belangrike rol in die bestuur van konflik en dispute binne hierdie sektor. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om te bepaal of die Wes-Kaap provinsiale kamer van die RAVO (PRAVO) effektief is in die uitvoering van sy statutêre funksies met spesifieke verwysing na sy kollektiewe bedinging en dispuut oplossing funksies. Data is ingesamel deur onderhoude te voer waartydens 'n onderhoud skedule gebruik is. Die navorsing het aangetoon dat die PRAVO wel sy statutêre kollektiewe bedinging en dispuut oplossing funksies uitvoer. Die PRAVO is egter meer aktief in terme van dispuut oplossing as kollektiewe bedinging. Die navorsing het vasgestel dat die PRAVO nie sy effektiwiteit meet nie. Resultate was onoortuigend betreffende die PRAVO se effektiwiteit in terme van sy dienslewering. Die navorsing het wel daardie faktore wat tot effektiwiteit bydra sowel as dié wat dit teenwerk geïdentifiseer. Dit het verder aangetoon dat wanneer effektief, die PRAVO se dienslewering 'n positiewe invloed op die genoemde statutêre funksies het.

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, P.L. 94, 142, resulted in many benefits accruing to learners with handicaps and their families. However, there were disputes between and among people from various sectors of the educational community regarding the implementation of the Act. In the past the local teacher union bargaining process has been used as a means through which some disputes may be rectified. Authors have suggested that disputes regarding the delivery of services to learners with handicaps might be resolved through teacher unions’ collective bargaining. The primary purpose of this study was to identify existing special education related language in “Pre” and "Post" P.L. 94-142 teacher union contracts. The secondary purpose was to examine the perceived needs of educational professionals for the development of formal school board policies and procedures on selected special education service delivery issues. Three data collection procedures were developed. Data were analyzed, in part, by descriptive statistics. Analyses of quantitative and qualitative data obtained from three sources revealed the following three major findings: The majority of "Pre" and "Post" P.L. 94-142 teacher union contracts contained virtually no specific special education related language. Second, all teachers’ perceptions surveyed indicated that the majority of educators perceived the need for selected special education policies as either “highly valuable" or “essential” regardless of teaching assignment (special or regular education) or employment site (urban or rural). Third, teachers consistently perceived a greater degree of need for local school boards to develop selected formal special education and service delivery policies and procedures then did special education program administrators. Recommendations for further research included a series of national surveys of unionized educational professionals to determine if these individuals can provide 1) an explanation for the inconsistency identified here between practitioners perceived need for selected special education policies and procedures and the virtual absence of any special education related contractual language in the contracts analyzed in this study; 2) what specific effect, if any, the implementation of the Regular Education Initiative (REI) has had in unionized school districts; and 3) if there is any linkage between membership on the pre-bargaining and bargaining committees and the final content of the negotiated teacher union contract. / Ed. D.

Text in Afrikaans, summary in Afrikaans and English / Die navorsingsondersoek is toegespits op arbeidsverhoudinge in die opvoedingspraktyk van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika. Arbeidsregsterme is aan die lig gebring wat onderwysers sal moet ken. Enkele menseregte en daarvan afgeleide regte van onderwysers word bespreek. Die diensverhouding tussen die onderwyser en sy werkgewer met betrekking tot individuele en kollektiewe verhoudinge, word bespreek. Arbeidsverhoudinge is onlosmaaklik van die juridiese en daarom word na verskeie regsaspekte, soos die dienskontrak van openbare en onafhanklike skole verwys. Raakpunte ten opsigte van wetgewing en hofsake voortspruitend daaruit, word aangedui. Implikasies van stakings deur onderwysers ingevolge arbeidswetgewing en hoe dit onderwysers se professionalisme raak, word deurgaans bespreek. Arbeidswetgewing reel die verhouding tussen werknemer en werkgewer. Wanneer die werknemer-werkgewer-verhouding vertroebel word, kan geskille besleg word deur middele soos arbitrasie en versoening. Huidige onderwysvakbonde het verteenwoordiging op die Raad vir Arbeidsverhoudinge in die Onderwys (RAVO) wat op 'n kollektiewe basis namens onderwysers beding. Onderwysers by onafhanklike skole (privaatskole) kan egter individueel beter beding vir byvoorbeeld diensvoorwaardes. Verskeie sagte vakbonde en harde vakbonde bestaan vir die onderwys. Redes waarom onderwysers by vakbonde aansluit word aangedui. Daar is eerstens die behoefte aan 'n bestaanswaardige salaris om basiese behoeftes te bevredig; tweedens om die sekuriteit van reels en prosedures wat fisiese veiligheid in die werkplek bevorder, te kan ervaar; derdens om deur vakbondlidmaatskap 'n spreekbuis te he waardeur 'n gemeenskaplike gevoel van magteloosheid teenoor die oorheersing van bestuur en eienaarskap (van die staat of provinsiale owerheid) uitgedruk kan word. Vierdens is daar 'n behoefte aan betekenisvolle werk wat uitdagings en werkbevrediging bied. Vyfdens word 'n ondersteuningsl iggaam verlang in geskille wat kan ontstaan as gevolg van 'n behoefte aan werksekerheid, veral om waarborge teen arbitrere ontslag te verseker. Laastens kan die bevordering van politieke oogmerke moontlik deur 'n vakbond se voorspraak bereik word. Arbeidsverhoudinge in die onderwys verander voortdurend met nuwe wetgewing. Die werknemer-werkgewer-verhouding moet deeglik geken word in die veranderende omstandighede in die Republiek van SuidAfrika ten opsigte van wetgewing en die bepaling van regte en verpligtinge van al die belanghebbende partye. Kennis van arbeidsverhoudinge in die onderwys sal hopelik tot beter begrip van arbeidsverhoudings in die onderwysstelsel lei. / This research focused on labour relations in education practice in the Republic of South Africa. Legal terms concerning labour relations are brought to the attention of teachers. Some human rights and subsequent rights of teachers, as well as labour relations between teacher and employer, both individual and collective, are discussed. Labour relations are connected to laws, therefore various legal aspects such as the service contract of teachers employed at public and independent schools are discussed. Connections with existing laws and relevant lawsuits are discussed. Legal implications of strikes by teachers and the effect on their professionalism are dealt with throughout. Labour laws regulate the relations between employer and employee. When these relations are troubled, differences can be resolved by arbitration and reconciliation. Existing teacher unions are represented in the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) that acts collectively on behalf of teachers. However, teachers at independent schools (private schools) are in a more favourable position to negotiate more easily for better conditions of service. Various "soft" and "hard" unions exist in education. Reasons for desiring membership of labour unions are given. Firstly, there is a need to negotiate a reasonable salary to provide for basic needs; secondly, to experience security of rules and procedures ensuring physical safety in the work-place; thirdly, through membership to have a voice to express a shared feeling of helplessness against the domination of governance and ownership (of the state or provincial governments). Fourthly, there is the need for meaningful, challenging and satisfying work. Fifthly, support is necessary in settling differences arising from a need to experience job-security and to counteract arbitrary dismissal. Lastly, political goals might be attainable through a voice provided by the unions. Labour relations in education change continually, subject to new laws. The employer-employee relation should be mastered in changing circumstances in the Republic of South Africa in accordance with new laws and degrees of the rights and responsibilities of all parties concerned. Knowledge of labour relations in education will hopefully ensure better professional relations in education generally. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

Text in Afrikaans, summary in Afrikaans and English / Die navorsingsondersoek is toegespits op arbeidsverhoudinge in die opvoedingspraktyk van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika. Arbeidsregsterme is aan die lig gebring wat onderwysers sal moet ken. Enkele menseregte en daarvan afgeleide regte van onderwysers word bespreek. Die diensverhouding tussen die onderwyser en sy werkgewer met betrekking tot individuele en kollektiewe verhoudinge, word bespreek. Arbeidsverhoudinge is onlosmaaklik van die juridiese en daarom word na verskeie regsaspekte, soos die dienskontrak van openbare en onafhanklike skole verwys. Raakpunte ten opsigte van wetgewing en hofsake voortspruitend daaruit, word aangedui. Implikasies van stakings deur onderwysers ingevolge arbeidswetgewing en hoe dit onderwysers se professionalisme raak, word deurgaans bespreek. Arbeidswetgewing reel die verhouding tussen werknemer en werkgewer. Wanneer die werknemer-werkgewer-verhouding vertroebel word, kan geskille besleg word deur middele soos arbitrasie en versoening. Huidige onderwysvakbonde het verteenwoordiging op die Raad vir Arbeidsverhoudinge in die Onderwys (RAVO) wat op 'n kollektiewe basis namens onderwysers beding. Onderwysers by onafhanklike skole (privaatskole) kan egter individueel beter beding vir byvoorbeeld diensvoorwaardes. Verskeie sagte vakbonde en harde vakbonde bestaan vir die onderwys. Redes waarom onderwysers by vakbonde aansluit word aangedui. Daar is eerstens die behoefte aan 'n bestaanswaardige salaris om basiese behoeftes te bevredig; tweedens om die sekuriteit van reels en prosedures wat fisiese veiligheid in die werkplek bevorder, te kan ervaar; derdens om deur vakbondlidmaatskap 'n spreekbuis te he waardeur 'n gemeenskaplike gevoel van magteloosheid teenoor die oorheersing van bestuur en eienaarskap (van die staat of provinsiale owerheid) uitgedruk kan word. Vierdens is daar 'n behoefte aan betekenisvolle werk wat uitdagings en werkbevrediging bied. Vyfdens word 'n ondersteuningsl iggaam verlang in geskille wat kan ontstaan as gevolg van 'n behoefte aan werksekerheid, veral om waarborge teen arbitrere ontslag te verseker. Laastens kan die bevordering van politieke oogmerke moontlik deur 'n vakbond se voorspraak bereik word. Arbeidsverhoudinge in die onderwys verander voortdurend met nuwe wetgewing. Die werknemer-werkgewer-verhouding moet deeglik geken word in die veranderende omstandighede in die Republiek van SuidAfrika ten opsigte van wetgewing en die bepaling van regte en verpligtinge van al die belanghebbende partye. Kennis van arbeidsverhoudinge in die onderwys sal hopelik tot beter begrip van arbeidsverhoudings in die onderwysstelsel lei. / This research focused on labour relations in education practice in the Republic of South Africa. Legal terms concerning labour relations are brought to the attention of teachers. Some human rights and subsequent rights of teachers, as well as labour relations between teacher and employer, both individual and collective, are discussed. Labour relations are connected to laws, therefore various legal aspects such as the service contract of teachers employed at public and independent schools are discussed. Connections with existing laws and relevant lawsuits are discussed. Legal implications of strikes by teachers and the effect on their professionalism are dealt with throughout. Labour laws regulate the relations between employer and employee. When these relations are troubled, differences can be resolved by arbitration and reconciliation. Existing teacher unions are represented in the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) that acts collectively on behalf of teachers. However, teachers at independent schools (private schools) are in a more favourable position to negotiate more easily for better conditions of service. Various "soft" and "hard" unions exist in education. Reasons for desiring membership of labour unions are given. Firstly, there is a need to negotiate a reasonable salary to provide for basic needs; secondly, to experience security of rules and procedures ensuring physical safety in the work-place; thirdly, through membership to have a voice to express a shared feeling of helplessness against the domination of governance and ownership (of the state or provincial governments). Fourthly, there is the need for meaningful, challenging and satisfying work. Fifthly, support is necessary in settling differences arising from a need to experience job-security and to counteract arbitrary dismissal. Lastly, political goals might be attainable through a voice provided by the unions. Labour relations in education change continually, subject to new laws. The employer-employee relation should be mastered in changing circumstances in the Republic of South Africa in accordance with new laws and degrees of the rights and responsibilities of all parties concerned. Knowledge of labour relations in education will hopefully ensure better professional relations in education generally. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

Rationalisation and redeployment of educators in South Africa negatively affects teaching and learning in schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of educators and stakeholders on rationalisation and redeployment as a policy. The study was conducted in schools of the Mopani district in Limpopo Province. Limpopo schools experience redeployment every year as the learner enrolment fluctuates. This increase or decrease of learner enrolment causes compulsory transfer of educators from the school with low enrolment to the school with greater enrolment. A legal framework, social justice and transformational leadership theory underpinned this study. The study used a qualitative research framework and methodology located within the constructivist paradigm to explore the experiences of educators and stakeholders on rationalisation and redeployment as a policy. This qualitative study employed a case study design, the case being redeployment of educators. Principals, educators, secretaries of school governing bodies, union members and circuit managers were selected as stakeholders to participate in the study. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were conducted with principals, secretaries of governing bodies, union members and circuit managers. Two focus groups with educators, who were once redeployed, were used, one from a primary school and the other from a secondary school. Observations and document analysis were also used in this study for triangulation. Data were coded and analysed through qualitative content analysis. The study found that rationalisation and redeployment affect the morale of educators It was also revealed that principals use the process for their personal advancement. Again, rationalisation and redeployment hinder the school performance as it takes place in the middle of the year. This study recommended that rationalisation and redeployment be done once within a three-year cycle. It was also recommended that redeployed educators should be counselled to boost their low morale. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education Leadership and Management)