Opinion ID: 1182729
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Statutory Argument

Text: Local 71's second argument is that the legislature expressly bound the REAAs to the collective bargaining agreement. The legislature provided in the transitional provisions of the enactment creating the REAAs that [a]ll contracts or other obligations created by a law amended by this Act or by virtue of functions which may be transferred by this Act, and in effect on the effective date of this Act, remain in effect unless revoked or modified under the provisions of this Act. Ch. 124, § 40, SLA 1975 (in part). Local 71 argues that this language could include the transfer of the state's labor contract obligations. But when section 40 is read together with the remaining transitional provisions, this conclusion is not so clear. In section 41(b), the legislature specifically addressed the status of the noncertificated employees by directing that they shall be terminated by the State and shall be rehired by the respective regional school boards or by the temporary regional school board... . [8] Implicit in the termination of the employees is the intention not to bind the ASOS' successor to existing employment contracts. This interpretation conforms with section 41(a) which specifically carries teachers over to the new employer with their accumulated employee contract benefits. [9] No such provision was made for noncertificated personnel. In light of the broad grant of self-determination given the REAAs and their power to appoint, compensate and otherwise control all school employees, AS 14.08.101(4), it would be contrary to the apparent legislative intent to bind the REAAs to a prior collective bargaining agreement in the absence of specific language to that effect. We therefore hold that section 40 does not bind the REAAs to the preexisting collective bargaining agreement.