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Working in a small community in far northwestern Wisconsin just
a stone’s throw from Minnesota can sometimes leave a teacher
or education support professional feeling alienated from his or
her colleagues in the rest of the state. But don’t tell that to the 83 teachers in St. Croix Falls.
By coupling their own initiative with WEAC’s Great Schools
Statewide Action Plan, they have become as active and involved
as any local unit. And they are feeling the power of statewide unity. “It’s a common voice,” said Paul Gilbert, co-director
of the St. Croix Falls unit of Northwest United Educators. “Everybody’s
dealing with the QEO at the local level. We need a common voice.
Otherwise, it’s just ripples that don’t add up to much.” “Ninety-seven thousand people can have a lot of power if
they are united,” added teacher Sam Malm. St. Croix Falls teachers latched on to that “common voice”
last August at the WEAC Summer Academy in Wisconsin Dells. Three
local representatives – Gilbert, Malm and Nancy Rasmussen
– attended the academy, which provided training for implementing
the Great Schools Statewide Action Plan. The Action Plan’s
goals are to restore a fair system of collective bargaining for
teachers and education support professionals and win support for
a system of fair and adequate school funding. Representatives of local associations throughout the state shared
ideas and experiences, learned more about issues, and developed
strategies at the Summer Academy. At one session that was particularly insightful and motivational
to the St. Croix Falls group, representatives from Kenosha, Waupaca
and Reedsburg discussed the strategies they employed to reach
a successful contract settlement. “They stood up and fought for themselves,” Malm said.
At the time, St. Croix Falls was embroiled in a contract dispute
and members were on the verge of engaging in job actions. Listening to the success stories from the three locals, Malm
said, he learned that “you have to do whatever it takes.” “I was thinking that if they can do it, we can do it and
get a fair contract,” he said. When they returned to St. Croix Falls armed with new insights
and a new sense of support from their colleagues throughout the
state, their first focus was to bring the lingering 2003-05 contract
negotiations to a successful conclusion. The superintendent –
who had been a major stumbling block in contract talks –
had just left the district, and a temporary three-person school
district management team had taken over. Because talks had basically stalled under the former superintendent
and the district had made veiled threats about imposing a Qualified
Economic Offer on teachers, patience was running thin. “The whole staff was ready to work to rule,” Malm said. On the second day of school, the union called an all-member meeting
at which “we stressed the need for unity,” Rasmussen
said. Members were asked to document all their paid and volunteer
work activities in preparation for a possible job action. The
union was preparing to take out a newspaper ad that would explain
to the community the reasons for their actions. But the district’s new three-person management team wanted
nothing of it. “They had a goal of developing a positive relationship with
the teachers,” Malm said.
Unit Co-Director Jeff Huenink and NUE Director Tim Schultz met
with the district’s consultant, “and said we wanted
to get back to the table,” Schultz said. At that point, “it really took a positive turn,” Rasmussen
said. Soon, the district and union reached agreement on a contract
that achieved the NUE bargaining goals and included improvements
in insurance coverage. With that behind them, the St. Croix Falls teachers were able
to focus on other objectives they brought back with them from
the Summer Academy. We stressed to our comrades how important it is for every single
person to do something,” Rasmussen said. Committees were created to address:
“With these committees in place, we’re ready to take
actions and keep things rolling here,” Malm said. St. Croix Falls teachers are excited about being part of the
statewide solidarity movement and will reinforce their involvement
by sending a group of members to the WEAC Winter Con-ference February
25-27 in Milwaukee. “It’s a really good opportunity to go to these conferences,”
Rasmussen said .“It’s well worth the time.” “It would be nice if other units got on board and followed suit,” Schultz said. Members Only Great Schools Statewide Action Plan Resource Page Posted October 15, 2004 |
