A GRIEVANCE IS A CHARGE THAT A POLICY AFFECTING WORKING CONDITIONS IS INADEQUATE OR HAS BEEN VIOLATED. TEACHER GRIEVANCE COMPLAINTS ARE PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH TEACHING LOAD, CLASS SIZE, PROMOTION, FACILITIES, SALARIES, AND TEACHER EVALUATION. GRIEVANCES USUALLY OCCUR IN A STRATIFIED EMPLOYMENT SETTING AND RESULT FROM POOR FORMULATION OR ADMINISTRATION OF POLICY, LACK OF APPRECIATION FOR TEACHER EMOTIONAL REACTIONS, OR FAILURE TO PROVIDE CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE ASSOCIATION. THE PURPOSE OF A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE IS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM TO THE GREATEST SATISFACTION OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED BY ENCOURAGING TEACHER EXPRESSION, IMPROVING TEACHER UNDERSTANDING OF RELEVANT POLICIES, AND APPRAISING POLICY EFFECTIVENESS. NINE CRITERIA FOR A WRITTEN GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE ARE GIVEN, AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FUNCTIONS OF THE LOCAL ASSOCIATION ARE LISTED. SUGGESTED PREREQUISITES TO MEANINGFUL ARBITRATION INCLUDE A NEUTRAL ARBITRATOR, EQUAL SHARING OF ARBITRATION COSTS BY DISPUTANTS, AND A BINDING CLAUSE REQUIRING DISPUTANTS TO ACCEPT THE ARBITRATOR'S RESOLUTION PROPOSALS. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE FROM THE NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, 1201 SIXTEENTH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036. (JK)