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Teachers in Hamilton County will see their benefits and pay protected for at least three more years despite a new state law that supersedes collective bargaining requirements that had been in place for 33 years.
Of 91 school districts with collective bargaining contracts, more than 30 will be stripped of their negotiation powers July 1. Others will follow as their county contracts expire. Forty-five districts don’t have union agreements.
The change means teachers could lose professional leave time, benefits and notification of transfers to new jobs. Teachers also fear they will lose the right to be heard on such issues as extending the school year.
“There won’t be any more teacher input,” said Rhonda Catanzaro, liaison between the Tennessee Education Association and its affiliate, the Hamilton County Education Association. “It’s a very trying time for teachers in Tennessee right now.”