Independence NEA teachers close the deal
for bargaining rights
Independence NEA teachers celebrate their new role as the
exclusive representative for educators in the Independence
School District. Elected by a margin of two to one as the
representative for teachers at the bargaining table in the
Independence School District, INEA soundly defeated MSTA,
another teacher group that placed its name on the ballot hoping
to become the exclusive representative for teachers.
“MSTA has fought against teachers having collective
bargaining rights for years,” says Chris Guinther, president
of the Missouri National Education Association. “Since
the Missouri Supreme Court’s decision last spring, MSTA
has been doing everything it can to undermine teachers’
rights to choose who will represent them at the bargaining
table. They even worked to pass a bill in the legislature
that would discriminate against teachers by denying them their
constitutional right to elect who will represent them at the
bargaining table.”
Guinther is referring to a May 2007 Missouri Supreme Court
decision, upholding teachers’ rights to bargain collectively.
The court upheld Article 1, section 29 of the Missouri Constitution,
which reads in part that, "employees have the right to
bargain through representatives of their own choosing.”
“Five years ago, NEA members in Independence were
stripped of their long standing status as the representative
groups in local bargaining,” said Christopher Eager,
president of INEA. “With the assistance of Missouri
NEA, we filed the lawsuit to reestablish our representation
rights as well as our right to enter a binding agreement with
the school district. It has been a long struggle, but yesterday’s
election closed the deal.”
INEA and MSTA were forced to share representation for the
past five years. Prior to the Supreme Court decision, the
school board could decide if it would negotiate with teachers
and who would be allowed to represent teachers at the table.
The Supreme Court decision changed things by placing the decision
about teacher representation in the hands of teachers.
“As the exclusive bargaining representative, INEA has
the responsibility to represent all teachers, including non-members,”
Eager says. “INEA takes seriously this vote of confidence
from the teachers as we work to negotiate in good faith with
the board, to represent all teachers in Independence, and
to reach binding agreements for salary and working conditions.”
Independence Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jim Hinson congratulated
the INEA and complimented the teacher organizations on the
election process.
“Shared decision making is a strong component in any
organization and to elect a representative is a true reflection
of our democracy,” Hinson writes in an e-mail to district
employees.
The 34,000-member MNEA represents teachers,
education support professionals, college faculty, retired
teachers and students studying to be teachers in school districts
and on college campuses throughout the state. It is the Missouri
affiliate of the 3.2 million-member NEA.
May 21, 2008
For further information:
DeeAnn
Aull
573-634-3202
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