Opinion ID: 880431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: remedies under grievance procedure of union contract

Text: In his Grievance Report Mr. Thompson referred to his termination on March 29, 1983. He then claimed that inaccurate evaluations were a factor in that determination and asked that the evaluation dated March 1, 1983, be removed from his file. His own Grievance Report contradicts the basic assertion in the complaint filed in the District Court where he complains that the notice was insufficient. We conclude that the grievance procedure under the union contract is the binding method of disposing of the issues raised under the grievance procedure. We therefore conclude that Mr. Thompson could not have proceeded into District Court on the same issues raised in the grievance procedure. Under the agreement negotiated by the Billings Education Association with the School District, the final decision in the grievance process is a binding arbitration. Because Mr. Thompson chose not to proceed to binding arbitration, that terminated any further rights with regard to the claimed grievance. As we review Article IV, Section 7 of the union contract, we conclude that the issue of the sufficiency of the notice of termination properly could have been included in the Grievance Report form and handled through the grievance procedure. Had he properly proceeded in that manner, his right to receive a specific statement of reason for nonrenewal would have been satisfied through the grievance procedure. In this instance he chose not to proceed to arbitration as he apparently concluded that he preferred to make a claim for damages in District Court. We hold that the proper method for obtaining a statement of specific reasons for nonrenewal by Mr. Thompson was set forth in the grievance provisions of the union contract. We further hold that by failing to follow these contract provisions, Mr. Thompson has lost his right to obtain specific reasons for nonrenewal. We therefore conclude that the District Court improperly remanded to the School District.