Missouri NEA

1
Missouri NEA

• Kari Estes,
• UniServ Director

2
Who are We?

• Local
• State
• National
• Education Professionals
• Teachers, Students, Retired, Support Staff,
  College Professors

3
What do we do?

• Professional Organization
• Union
• Advocates

A teachers working conditions are a students
learning conditions.
4
Where are we located?

• Affiliates in all 50 states
• Puerto Rico
• Military bases abroad
• Missouri NEA has 6 offices

5
When did we begin?

• NEA founded in 1857 by 43 teachers (was first
  called the NTA)
• 1870 NTA name changed to NEA
• Missouri was one of the founding states of the
  NEA - called the MSTA
• 1970 creation of the NEA UniServ Program
• 1972 MSTA rejected unification and passed a
  constitutional amendment that disaffiliated any
  MSTA local that required unified membership
• 1973 NEA disaffilates the MSTA and the Missouri
  NEA is created by a handful of teachers from
  about a dozen school districts

6
Why do we exist?

• Our Mission Uniting and empowering public
  education advocates to shape the future of
  education
• MNEA Core Values
• Public Education and Students
• Member Driven Organization
• Member Advocacy

• A teachers working conditions are a students
  learning conditions.

7
The Benefits of Membership

• Professional Growth
• Advocacy Organization
• Legal Services
• Economic Advantages
• National Association

8
National Association

• http//www.nea.org/index.html
• National issues
• ESEA aka NCLB
• IDEA
• Social Security
• Vouchers
• Tenure
• Merit Pay

9
Professional Growth

• www.mnea.org
• Classrooms and Kids
• Teaching and Learning
• NEA Grants
• Read Across America
• Conferences
• Networking

10
Members Only Site

• http//www.memberweb.com/memberweb2K1/main2K1.asp
• Economic advantages
• Leaders Updates
• Tools you can use

11
Legal Services

• Professional staff assistance
• EEL Program
• 4 million in liability coverage
• Civil suits
• Criminal charges
• ULSP Program
• Division of Family Services
• Probationary teacher non-renewal
• Tenure teacher contract termination
• Other contract or legal issues
• Attorney Referral Program

12
Advocacy Organization

• Legislative
• http//www.mnea.org/capitol/
• http//www.nea.org/lac/highered/index.html
• Political Action
• No dues dollars are used for political
  contributions! Separate, Additional, Voluntary
• Candidate screening based on education issues
  only
• Locally

13
The Independence Decision

• 1945 - Missouri Constitution
• That employees shall have the right to organize
  and to bargain collectively through
  representatives of their own choosing." Article
  1, Section 29
• 1947 - Springfield v Clouse
• Excludes public employees
• 1965 - 105.500
• Meet and confer
• 1982 - Sumpter v Moberly
• Meet and confer not binding

Overturned
Overturned
14
The Independence Decision

• Public employees have right to bargain
• Dont have to agree, if they do, binding contract
• Strikes still illegal
• Bargaining Framework
• Created by Legislature
• By Districts
• Inherent in CB
• Exclusive, elected representative
• Good faith
• Duty of fair representation

15
STATUS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS
Bargaining Law In NM Was Not Renewed In 1999
AK
NH
MT
ND
VT
WA
MN
ME
WI
SD
OR
MA
WY
MI
ID
NY
RI
IA
NE
IL
PA
IN
OH
CT
NV
UT
CO
KS
WV
NJ
MO
CA
VA
DE
KY
OK
NC
TN
MD
AZ
AR
NM
SC
MS
AL
GA
TX
LA
FL
NEA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND MEMBER ADVOCACY (AS
OF APRIL 2003)
16
STATUS OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR EDUCATION
SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS
AK
NH
MT
ND
VT
WA
MN
ME
WI
SD
OR
MA
WY
MI
ID
NY
RI
IA
NE
IL
PA
IN
OH
CT
NV
UT
CO
KS
WV
NJ
MO
CA
VA
DE
KY
OK
NC
TN
MD
NM
AZ
AR
SC
MS
AL
GA
TX
LA
FL
NEA COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND MEMBER ADVOCACY (AS
OF APRIL 2003)
17
Collective Bargaining
Meet and Confer Bargain
Public education employees and board members discuss problems. The school board unilaterally makes decisions. The two parties arrive at mutually agreeable solutions in an enforceable written agreement.
When differences exist, the board makes the final decision. A neutral third party assists in resolving differences.
The board may meet with as many employee groups as it wishes, pitting one group against another. Employees speak with one voice, a representative theyve elected.
Results are recommendations for the Board of Education to change their policies. Results are complied in a separate binding agreement ratified by both the teachers and Board.
18
Whats the Difference?

• MSTA filed a friend of the court brief jointly
  with the Missouri Council of School
  Administrators before the Missouri Supreme Court
  opposing the collective bargaining rights of
  teachers and other public school personnel.
• MSTA does not have the funding or the resources
  to give proper representation to members.
• http//www.mnea.org/news/Ind_SupremeCourt.htm

19
MSTAs Brief

• Teachers and school employees might try to
  negotiate about

Before/after school programs (p 20) Lunch duty (p. 21)
After school meetings (p. 21) Class sizes (p. 35)
Textbook selection (p. 35) Retirement plans (p. 35)
Definition of instructional time (p. 35) Extracurricular activities (p. 35)
Calendar/schedule changes (p. 35) Length of school days (p. 35)
Professional development planning (p. 35) Professional and non-certified employee evaluations (p. 35)
20
The Differences are Important

• MSTA believes that allowing the experts (you!)
  that work in our schools to bargain on these
  subjects would mean that the focus will move
  from acting in the best interest of students
  (p. 36).
• By contrast, Missouri NEA believes in the
  judgment and commitment of the experts (you!)
  that work in our schools. These experts are
  exactly the right people to keep the focus on
  what is best for students.

21
What do you think?

• If you believe that the experts (you the
  teachers) need to have a legitimate voice in
  decision-making,
• If you believe that having a binding contract is
  a right of professionals,

• Then, collective bargaining is the process by
  which these experts have shared decision-making
  with the local school board on local issues.

22
Which Would you Choose?

• Which Association can better work with teachers
  to bargain and advocate for a fair workplace?
• The Association that fought to get those rights
  and has believed in them all along? The
  association who has representatives right there
  with you when you need them in a meeting?
• OR
• The Association that never believed in bargaining
  and fought to keep those rights from teachers?
  The Association that says, Im sorry, there is
  nothing we can do.