Board of Higher Education v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board

**What Happened** The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education challenged a union contract rule that limited how many courses part-time college professors could teach. The Board argued this restriction interfered with their right to manage their institutions and make decisions about staffing and course assignments. **What the Court Decided** The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court sided against the Board of Higher Education. The court upheld the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board's earlier decision that supported the union contract provision limiting part-time faculty course loads. The court rejected the Board's claim that this contract term violated their management rights. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling strengthens workers' ability to negotiate meaningful contract terms through their unions. It shows that employers cannot simply claim "management rights" to override negotiated workplace protections. For part-time faculty specifically, this decision validates their ability to bargain for limits on course loads, which can help ensure fair workload distribution and potentially create more opportunities for other part-time instructors. The ruling reinforces that collective bargaining agreements carry real weight, even when they affect how employers operate their businesses.