Court Opinion

ID: 9773934
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 18:04:19.513375+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:59.568954
License: Public Domain

Tom Glaze, Justice, dissenting. In my view, the court is wrong in refusing to address the merits of this case. It unquestionably has the discretion to do so. This issue concerning the validity of striking school teachers has now occurred at least twice in Pulaski County, since I have served on this court.1 On both occasions, the strikes ended before this court was asked to decide their validity. Teachers, students, parents, and taxpayers should be apprised concerning the validity of such strikes, so when a dispute arises again, the participating parties can pursue what they know is a lawful course of action and Arkansas citizens can predictably measure its outcome. Until this court grapples with and decides whether teachers may strike against their public employer, confusion and uncertainty will continue to prevail in the management of our schools. That is not a happy prospect.   In oral argument, counsel for appellees said that he had been involved in four other public strike cases and in two of those, chancery judges had found it was not clearly illegal for public employees to strike. Those cases were not later appealed and decided by this court.