NASHUA – The Nashua School District is expected to resume bargaining talks with the Nashua custodial union following a decision by the New Hampshire Public Employee Labor Relations Board that ruled in favor of the union.

The PELR Board was responding to an unfair labor complaint filed Dec. 30, by AFSCME Council 93, which represents Nashua custodians.

“Victory in Nashua! The PELRB has found the Nashua School District in violation of the contract because of its refusal to bargain with respect to custodial personnel,” said an AFSCME announcement posted Thursday on social media. “According to the PELRB, the district has committed an unfair labor practice and is ordered to immediately commence bargaining in good faith with the union as to all bargaining unit positions.”

AFSCME thanked those who supported the Nashua

custodians, and added, “We look forward to bargaining with the District and the continuation of a clean and safe school environment for the students and parents in the Nashua School District.”

In September, the Nashua Board of Education voted to explore hiring a private company to replace 101 union custodian positions, citing a need to achieve “substantial savings to the district’s operating budget.”

In December, the union representing Nashua’s custodians filed an unfair labor complaint with the Public Employee Labor Relations Board, claiming the district was bargaining with only a portion of the union, since the district had agreed to negotiate a contract with members of Local 365, who are not custodians.

The school district denied it “violated its bargaining obligations or any contractual provisions,” according to a labor board memorandum.

The labor board decision, released Thursday, found that the district “committed an unfair labor practice.” It found “(the district) has improperly deprived employees of their right to participate in the collective bargaining process through the duly certified bargaining unit.” The labor board decision concluded with, “The district is ordered to immediately commence bargaining with the union as to all bargaining unit positions.”

The full PELRB decision can be found online at www.nh.gov/pelrb/decisions/board/documents/2016-177.pdf.

Tina Forbes can be reached at 594-6402, tforbes@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_ TinaF.

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