Judge: Mason Schools violated employment laws; district has opportunity to respond

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.western-star.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/03/26/pjm032608schoolsuitweb.html

Staff report

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

An administrative law judge for the State Employment Relations Board found Mason City Schools violated Ohio employment laws by refusing to bargain with maintenance workers.

Judge Beth A. Jewell ruled that Mason unfairly hired outside companies to perform janitorial and maintenance services in 2006 without first bargaining with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees union members.

The judge recommended the SERB board order the school district to: Terminate its association with the outside companies and return the work to school employees; bargain in good faith with the union workers before assigning work to outside entities; and post the cease and desist order from SERB in plain view of employees.

Mason has the opportunity to respond to these findings. Mason school officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.