Randi Weingarten, the president of the teachers' union, addressed a major labor-management dispute yesterday when she proposed changing the teachers' contract regarding grievance and disciplinary procedures. City officials have argued that the current procedures make it very hard to fire incompetent teachers. Under the current system, teachers can carry grievances to as many as four levels, while receiving full pay throughout the long process. Ms. Weingarten's proposed changes would limit the grievance process to two steps-- whatever happens at the school followed by immediate arbitration.
See "Teachers May Give Ground on Grievances", David M. Herszenhorn, The New York Times, November 13, 2003