On June 20, 2011 Arbitrator Michael LeRoy issued a decision upholding the employer Pontiac-William Holliday School District and denying a grievance filed by an employee of the District and her union, the Illinois Federation of Teachers (IFT). The employee and the IFT filed a grievance in October 2010, arguing that firm client the Pontiac-William Holliday School District had improperly denied the employee’s request to use union officer leave to attend a workgroup organized by the Illinois State Board of Education, and further arguing that the school district was required by the parties’ collective bargaining agreement to permit the use of such leave.
Tueth Keeney attorneys D. Shane Jones and Anwar Johnson represented the school district at the arbitration hearing and throughout the grievance/arbitration process. On behalf of the school district, Shane and Anwar argued that the language of the collective bargaining agreement limited the use of union officer leave to conferences and training sponsored by the IFT, and that no bargaining history or past practice permitted the use of leave sought by the employee. The Arbitrator ruled in favor of the school district and denied the grievance. In so ruling, the Arbitrator held that the plain language of the collective bargaining agreement prohibited the use of union officer leave to attend the workgroup at issue in the grievance.
D. Shane Jones practices in the areas of labor and employment law, education law, and litigation in both Missouri and Illinois. He routinely advises and represents employers in wage and hour matters, in the design and review of employee handbooks, and in disciplining and terminating employees. Shane has also successfully defended employers against discrimination claims, First Amendment claims, Due Process claims, and other labor and employment actions, in state and federal courts.
Shane also practices in the area of collective bargaining and labor relations. He is experienced in crafting proposals and counter-proposals, and in effectively presenting the employer’s position at the collective bargaining table. He has directly negotiated, or participated significantly behind the scenes, in the negotiation of more than fifty collective bargaining agreements under the National Labor Relations Act, the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act, and in the "meet and confer" process under the Missouri Public Sector Labor Law.
Anwar M. Johnson practices primarily in the areas of education, litigation, and labor and employment law. He has experience handling a variety of civil litigation matters, representing clients in state and federal courts in both Missouri and Illinois. Anwar has successfully defended and argued on behalf of clients in several civil litigation matters, including avoiding summary judgment in a negligence action, obtaining dismissal in a contract action, and obtaining reversal of a court's order on appeal. During law school, Anwar served as President of the Black Law Student's Association and was Associate Managing Editor of the Global Studies Law Review.
Tueth Keeney is proud to be one of the state's largest Illinois education law practices. The firm has one of the most experienced groups of attorneys in Central and Southern Illinois dedicated to serving public schools. We regularly represent nearly 150 public school districts, including many districts in Central and Southern Illinois. Our Firm is also regularly appointed by insurers of educational institutions to represent districts in complex or difficult cases involving school or civil rights laws.
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