"now worries that the fate of each administrator will be left to "the whim of the School Board."

Yeah, just like my fate is at the whim of my management. Somehow, I've survived in my job for 10 years.

Oh wait, that's right, it's called "doing a good job".

The union in my agency complains constantly about the management and members file grievances every time their bosses looks at them funny. I've had zero problems and have received nothing but praise and generosity since I arrived. Know my secret? I work hard and I try to make my manager's job easier. You don't have to be Dale Carnegie to get along, you just have to not be a useless, ungrateful, work-to-ruling slob - way too much to ask from most of the old guard, but those are the people who keep paying their $500-1000 dues year after year and the union spends all its time protecting. Good employees need the union like they need another hole in their head - we're referred to as "free loaders" in the union newsletters.

I think my managers are great - very reasonable and respectful. Once you head down that adversarial union path it's a never-ending black hole of grievance after compounding grievance. Walking personality conflicts complain aloud that they don't get promoted despite "knowing more than anybody." Guess what, that's life. They would have been let go a loooooong time ago if they worked for a voluntary organization, but they have no idea how lucky they are because all they've ever known is ironclad job security and a never-ending stream of perks and benefits. I don't think it's an age issue, but it certainly is generational. If they simply let everybody over 60 go tomorrow, we would be twice as efficient and the atmosphere would be orders of magnitude more positive. They did recently offer an early retirement option, but the old guard is "holding out for a $50,000 buyout" if you can believe that. Nothing is ever enough for these people.