Filling the Communications Gap

Kenosha teacher Matt Kranich works on the KEA Web site from his Racine home

Kenosha Education Association members have a powerful new tool at their disposal this year as they battle for a fair contract.
It’s the KEA Now Web site at www.keanow.com.

“It’s certainly a faster way to get information out to our members,” said KEA President Ellen Kupfer.

The Web site provides both a vehicle for communicating with the public and a means to distribute accurate information quickly to members.

“The leadership is adamant about increasing member communication and member involvement, and they’re very supportive of this technology” said KEA Executive Director Bob Baxter.

Right after a bargaining session – before rumors start flying – KEA leadership can post a summary of the latest developments to the Members Only section, Kupfer said. And if a specific event is planned or member action is requested, that can go on the site for all to see.

At the same time, the public area of the Web site is used to give the public accurate information and the union’s perspective.
“There are a lot of people in the community who check out our site,” she said.

Started in 2000

The origin of the Web site goes back to fall 2000 when then-KEA President Bill Nieman and the KEA Board gave teacher Matt Kranich, a member of the KEA Negotiations Team, the go-ahead to develop it.

Using skills he had acquired in setting up a Web site for his class at Indian Trail Academy, Kranich delved enthusiastically into the project.

“I firmly believe members need to be informed,” Kranich said. “The more members know the truth, the more active and united we will be.”

It’s also something he enjoys. In fact, Kranich’s first paycheck as a teacher in 1993 went to purchase a computer. “To me, that was a necessity to produce things for class,” he said.

Kranich uses some high-end programs such as Dreamweaver, Flash and Fireworks, but acknowledges that Web sites can be developed with much less sophisticated and less expensive software.

But it can take a great deal of time and commitment. Kranich spent about 30 hours per week developing the site from April to August, and has been devoting about 15 hours per week to the project ever since.

The site initially went online in November 2000 and was advertised to members in May 2001. In August, the site had more than 17,000 page views.

Today, the public site contains such information as detailed background about Kenosha teacher salaries (see sidebar), a description of the QEO law, and news articles. Users will find articles about a pro-teacher student demonstration, settlements in other districts, a KEA candlelight vigil, and a recent KEA rally.

There’s an analysis of the school board’s latest contract offer and articles and charts illustrating teachers’ plight under the QEO.
In addition, the site includes information about KEA staff and editorials sent to the local newspaper. There is also an expansive user-friendly area for classified ads, a service that was transferred to the Web from the KEA newsletter.

In the Members Only section, users find negotiations updates, notices of upcoming meetings and events, editorials, flyers, calendars, and copies of KEA’s printed newsletter GLUE, among other things. When members sign in, they provide an e-mail address, which the KEA uses to notify them of breaking events.

The site is hosted on an outside server through a service called DreamHost, for about $10 a month.

Kranich, who is paid modestly for his work, suggests any local or UniServ taking on such a project develop guidelines for who will write and approve information for the site.

“It’s fortunate we found someone as enthusiastic as Matt to take this and run with it,” Kupfer said.

Kranich said he does it “because I believe in it and enjoy it.” And the rewards are in seeing that it strengthens the union, he said.

With 17,000 page views per month and about 600 member sign-ups (as of November), he knows people are using it.

“On a regular basis,” he said, “I get people who say, ‘This is really cool. I like what you are doing.’ ”

Posted December 4, 2001