Is This the Hill

There is an interesting expression in negotiations. "Is this the hill you want to die on?" This means is the argument so important that you have to stop your discussions and and say that you can not compromise. It also may point out a particular spot where pushing it further is arguing for argument sake. Do you have to win this one? Most of the time the answer is no.

In our negotiations we almost reached that point. Probably because we were given a proposal in the form of forms and was told that they were a unit that could not be separated. It was a take it or leave it kind of thing. We drew a line the sand (or almost did). That is an expression to to mean that we were polarized to our positions.

a couple of things happened yesterday at the table. Management came in with the information that it would not "spring" it on teachers. It would be phased in and adjusted with our help.

The big one for us was that professional growth needed to be separated from the evaluation process. We accomplished this. Although we need to continue to talk about professional growth will be followed.

After an entire day of discussions and only two time outs and meetings behind closed doors, we reached a tentative Agreement on this part of new contract.

We lost members at the table in the afternoon to the big "Bloss" Bowl. The local rivalary of Atwater High School football vs Buhach Colony football. I think that this is the first year that the new school in Atwater has a chance at defeating the older school.

So far Merced High is undefeated again.

Have a great weekend.

Love
Pat