Our union has filed a prohibited practice petition with the Nebraska Commission of Industrial Relations (CIR) alleging that the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) has unilaterally changed the terms and conditions of remote work assignments without negotiating the changes with our union as required by law.
In December 2023, NDE informed employees the remote work assignments would be changed in 2024. Details of the changes to individual telework agreements were to be announced in January 2024 and implemented in February.
Our union sent a demand to bargain over changes to remote work assignments in December. NDE suggested that we wait until changes were made and evaluate the changes upon implementation. Our union reiterated that we are ready, willing, and able to negotiate at any time and that we would not hesitate to protect our members’ rights under the law. This spring, some member’s remote work assignments were changed or eliminated, and the Department issued a new remote work policy, although it did not initially distribute it to employees.
NDE violated our rights under the law by refusing to negotiate with our union. Our union identified that the minimum terms that must be negotiated included: eligibility for hybrid and fully remote work options, location of work assignments, requirements for work assignments, and the application process for remote work options.
In response to NDE refusing to negotiate, our union has taken legal action at the CIR. Our prohibited practices petition alleges that NDE unilaterally changed the terms and conditions of employment by changing remote work assignments without negotiating with our union as required by law.
Our union also requested that the CIR order NDE to immediately halt the changes being made to individual employees’ remote work agreements until our case has been heard by the CIR. We expect a hearing on our motion for temporary relief to be in July.
It’s more important than ever for all Department of Education employees to stand in solidarity to protect our rights. If you’re not yet a union member, click here to join us today.
Featured image courtesy of Paul Hammel – Nebraska Examiner.
