The Summit School District now has a policy that officials said establishes a clear pathway to unionization, but some staff members aren’t happy with the end result. 

The Summit School District Board of Education granted final approval to what’s known as the “H Series” policy at a Wednesday, Nov. 19, meeting after beginning the process in September. 

The creation of the policy follows a request to unionize from nonlicensed staff members — which includes positions like bus drivers, custodians, administrative assistants, paraprofessionals and kitchen workers — in September. 

Some nonlicensed staff members and their supporters have opposed the policy and some of the steps it mandates ahead of a vote to unionize, calling it bureaucratic. The board amended the policy to address concerns brought up by nonlicensed staff members and their supporters, and those from the Summit School District Leadership Association, which is an organization that includes roles like principals and vice principals. The Summit School District Leadership Association has not announced an intent to unionize. The group weighed in because portions of the policy relate to labor relations. 

Some changes made include those the district said removes the busy work and extraneous verbiage in the proposal request, which is needed to trigger an election. Also, changes allowed amendments to the proposal request. Other changes included the deletion of a deposit requirement toward the share of election costs and the deletion of exceptions to limitations on recognition that the Summit School District Leadership Association found concerning for its group. Previously, the board also lowered the union membership certification threshold.

Summit Middle School attendance secretary Naomi McMahon, a leader in the effort to unionize, started her public comment with appreciation to the board for ensuring employee voices are heard during this process. She said she finds the “H Series” policy includes some items that are “unreasonable, unnecessarily and, frankly, unheard of in the recognition policies anywhere else in Colorado.” 

She said she consulted unions and labor leaders from across the state.

“The message was consistent and clear, no district requires this level of documentation, and many of the items that you are asking for don’t exist even at the state level,” she said, “and to be clear, there is no state law in Colorado requiring any of this.”

She said she found the mandate for an organization constitution and bylaws ahead of a vote unnecessary. 

“We are more than willing to provide the materials that actually matter,” she said. 

Summit County Education Association Vice President and eight grade counsel Brian Tracey made public comments and opposed the mandate McMahon touched on.

“I am deeply perplexed,” he said. ” These steps are unnecessary, lack legal grounding, and appear to be based on incomplete or inaccurate guidance.”

He criticized the 50% plus one person vote threshold to actualize the union and said much lower thresholds are needed to fill public positions, like board of education members. He said most districts grant voluntary recognition upon presentation of union cards, and he would like that to be the case in Summit.

Board member Chris Guarino said he doesn’t think anyone got 100% of what they wanted. 

“I feel like there’s been a really good process and compromise here,” he said. 

He said his wife is a nonlicensed staff member of the district and he cares “very much” about all nonlicensed staff members. He said he thinks the policy is reasonable. 

Board president Consuelo Redhorse said she thinks clarity is important, and that part of the reasoning for the “H Series” policy.  She said the policy installs a sense of formality that will help people understand what they are participating in. 

 “We are proud to have acted quickly and thoughtfully to establish a policy framework that strengthens long-term stability and outlines a clear process for collective bargaining,” she said in a Nov. 19 news release from the Summit School District. “This is about honoring the voices of the dedicated SSD team members who keep our schools running each day and ensuring they are supported as essential partners in students’ success.” 

The policy can be found through this link TinyURL.com/4hdwyn5s.