A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SELECTED TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF BARGAINING UNIT CHIEF NEGOTIATORS AND NEGOTIATED COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OUTCOMES IN SELECTED PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Scott David Ballantyne, Ed. D.
May, 1997

RETURN
edited 12/20/00

 

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the process by which chief negotiators of teacher bargaining units developed their priorities for collective bargaining agreements. This investigation provided insight into what is important to the chief negotiators and teachers of the bargaining units and thereby can help reduce the amount of time and anxiety associated with reaching an agreement. Each year approximately 100 Pennsylvania school districts have their contracts with the collective bargaining units representing the teachers expire and need renegotiation. Disharmony, strife, and strikes have been common in the process. Little was known about the process used by the negotiations team for the teachers.

Contract data were collected from Pennsylvania school districts that have settled contracts for the 1995-96 school term as of December 1, 1995 and had contracts expire at the end of the 1994-95 school term. Information pertaining to the fiinge benefits and salary increases or decreases was extracted from contracts collected from school district administratives personnel. Secondly, a questionnaire was sent to each chief negotiator of the districts that contract data was received, information was gathered regarding selected traits and characteristics of the bargaining unit chief negotiator as well as a descriptive representation of how the negotiating committee operated. For the purposes of this study, the chief negotiator is defined as a bargaining unit member who carried out the negotiations; or the bargaining unit member who headed the negotiation team if a nonbargaining unit negotiator was used. The questionnaire was accompanied by a cover letter stating who was working on the project as well as a self-addressed stamped envelope.

An analysis was performed on the data to determine the relationships that exist between changes in the benefits covered under the collective bargaining agreements and selected traits and characteristics of bargaining unit chief negotiators.

This study yielded ten significant relationships between traits and characteristics of the bargaining unit chief negotiator and negotiated collective bargaining outcomes. These variables included marital status and long term disability, years in education and health benefits, education level and vision benefits, college course enrollment and vision benefits, non-public school attendance and tuition benefits, residing in the district and retirement incentives, enrollment in college courses and length of contract, desire to move into administration and dental benefits, age and health benefits, and employment level and long term disability.

Five valid prediction equations based on traits and characteristics of bargaining unit chief negotiators were developed. Prediction equations have been developed for the following variables; health benefit, dental benefit, vision benefit, retirement incentives, and tuition benefit. Analysis of the independent variables in the prediction equations suggest that bargaining unit chief negotiators bargain for the teachers in the collective bargaining unit. Further evidence to support this can be found in the fact that significantly more collective bargaining units utilize a democratic method of choosing negotiation priorities.

Additional negotiation factors studied revealed that Act 88 of 1992 did not effect a large portion of the sample. Of those that did feel an effect, significantly more bargaining unit chief negotiators felt it weakened negotiations. Additionally, significantly more local bargaining units utilized a populist approach to gathering membership concerns. Finally, most chief negotiations are selected by the president of the local bargaining unit.


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