A content analysis of Tennessee contracts bargained the first year after initial professional negotiations legislation

1. What was the scope of topics included in forty-seven of the forty-eight contracts negotiated by March 1, 1980, in the State of Tennessee?

2. Which of the forty-seven contracts addressed the eight topics mandated by the Educational Professional Negotiations Act?

3. What differences existed between the scope of topics of the forty-seven contracts and the scope of topics included in a National Education Association topical outline?

4. What were the categories in each topic in the negotiated contracts and what was the frequency of each category?

Contracts were gathered from forty-seven of the forty-eight school systems in Tennessee which had completed negotiations by March 1, 1980. A list of all topics was gleaned from the contracts and topic frequencies were compiled. Relevant topics were classified according to the eight areas mandated in the Educational Professional Negotiations Act. Topics were also classified according to the classification system used by the National Education Association for its nationwide survey. Data gleaned from the contracts were categorized through a content analysis. Within the content analysis framework, topics were identified and precise categories within each topic were established. Frequencies were compiled of both topics and categories.

A wide range of topics was found in the contracts. The eight areas mandated by the Tennessee law were included in most of the negotiated agreements. In addition, most contracts encompassed much more than those areas mandated by law.

The negotiated contracts contained more than two-thirds of the categories included in the National Educational Association outline. Most of these categories concerned working conditions and organizational benefits, while only a few concerned the instructional program. A number of miscellaneous provisions were found, however, that related to conditions and personnel unique to individual systems.

Local concerns were evident in the contracts and there was evidence of good faith bargaining in a substantial number of school districts across the state. State and national influences were also evident in the negotiated agreements and Tennessee appeared to follow negotiating trends in other states.