School Committee v. American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, Council 93

**School Employee Gets Job Back Through Union Contract** This case involved Patricia Morse, a school employee who lost her job but claimed she had the right to "bump" into another position based on her seniority. The School Committee of Westport disagreed, arguing that the principal alone should decide who gets hired for school positions. The dispute went to arbitration, where Morse won. The arbitrator ordered the school to give her the job back and pay her for the time she was out of work. The school committee appealed this decision to court, claiming the arbitrator overstepped by interfering with the principal's hiring authority. The Massachusetts Appeals Court sided with Morse and upheld the arbitrator's decision. The court ruled that seniority-based "bumping" systems—where more senior employees can claim positions held by less senior workers during layoffs—are valid subjects for union contract negotiations. The court found this didn't improperly limit the principal's hiring discretion. **Why this matters for workers:** This ruling strengthens job security protections in union contracts. It confirms that seniority systems negotiated through collective bargaining can protect experienced workers from layoffs, even in school settings where administrators typically have broad hiring authority.