Wash. Court of Appeals published opinion — 315223.cor.pdf

bargaining agreement (CBA) between the union and the district as well as violations of

chapter 41.59 RCW and that Ms. Easterling "be ordered by an Arbitrator to be granted

another year of provisional status." CP at 279.

The CBA includes an article VII, entitled "Settlement of Grievances." CP at 109.

Section 6 of the article sets forth a grievance process that may include up to five steps-

an informal step, and formal steps that it refers to as steps one, two, three, and four.

The informal step is for the employee to attempt to resolve the grievance with her

or his immediate supervisor. If that does not resolve the issue, then step one provides that

the grieved matter be reduced to writing and submitted to the principal or supervisor,

after which a conference is arranged to discuss it. If the grievant is not satisfied with the

outcome, step two provides that the grievance be submitted to the school superintendent,

who will then meet with the grievant in an attempt at resolution. Step three provides that

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No. 31522-3-111
Spokane Sch. Dist. No. 81 v. Spokane Educ. Ass 'n

grievances not resolved by earlier steps may be discussed at a labor management

meeting. Step four allows the parties to submit grievances to binding arbitration, subject

to limitations set forth in section 3 of article VII.

On May 16, an informal grievance meeting occurred. Afterward, Mr. Boyer filed

an amended grievance on behalf of Ms. Easterling. Both the initial and amended

grievance appear to be based on Ms. Easterling's nonrenewal; in complaining of the

nonrenewal, they refer to allegedly retaliatory actions taken by Ms. Thomas, the district's