A reader sent an interesting email about some teachers, in various parts of the country, who have been establishing their own local-only unions and rejecting the NEA and their State Associations. One group is next door in Eastern Washington. I thought it was a very interesting movement. Here’s the info that was sent to me:
Kansas Local Teacher Union Boots NEA
Mike Antonucci reports in the Communiqué for the week of March 23, 2009, that the 56 teachers of the Riley County Unified School District in Kansas have decertified the NEA and KEA as their bargaining unit representative. They have formed a new non-NEA, local-only teacher union, the Riley County Educators. The Association of American Educators (AAE) will provide teachers with liability insurance and legal protection.
In 2005, Northwest Professional Educators assisted the teachers of Davenport School District in Washington to exercise their rights to throw off the expensive unified dues of the WEA and NEA and establish a local only teacher union that unites teachers around shared local issues. Sprague teachers joined NWPE for liability insurance, legal assistance, and other professional support.
Teachers interested in learning more about their rights to establish a local only teacher union may contact NWPE at info@nwpe.org.
Here is a link to the Northwest Professional Educators (NWPE) website mentioned in the article.
Comment by Bill — March 24, 2009 @ 9:09 am
I am, by nature (and nurture) anti-union. But for many reasons, I have come to respect the local reps of the NEA. They really do step in and up for the Idaho members.
Comment by Faringdon — March 24, 2009 @ 10:59 am
One of the reasons teachers belong to unions is for liability insurance against law suits. In Arizona years ago the state had plans to pick up the liability for teachers, but the teacher unions killed that idea as it would have reduced union numbers. Conservative teachers really do get sick of their union money going to the liberal party, but often are forced into this to have liability coverage.
Comment by citizen — March 24, 2009 @ 2:32 pm