On January 27, 2006, I had my first solo arbitration on behalf of CCEA. The case involved three grievances and a five-day suspension. The documents at issue were from February and April 2003. On February 3, 2006, I received the arbitration award in favor of the teacher and CCEA. This was almost three years after the documents had been issued. I discussed this issue at length with the member I represented. There are various reasons why getting a grievance to arbitration can be lengthy.

The District and CCEA agree that discipline must be prioritized. First priority is dismissals, namely because a teacher is being deprived of his/her livelihood. Suspensions are the next priority because the teacher may face a potential financial loss. Of course, if a suspension is tied to a grievance, i.e. an admonition, unsatisfactory evaluation, etcetera, that grievance will be heard at the same time as the suspension. Thirdly, stand alone grievances that are not tied to other discipline (suspensions and/or dismissals) are scheduled for arbitration.

Unfortunately, the number of dismissals and suspensions are numerous and there are several steps that must be taken prior to getting to arbitration, which also prolongs the time. Under the right circumstances, the parties may agree to settle because it is the best course for both parties.

I titled this article "Patience is a Virtue" because I truly feel that it applies in both our personal and professional life. At times, it seems that things are not moving as fast as we want them to, but one must understand the process it takes to get to arbitration and in some cases exercise a lot of patience.