Swea Honors Members, Community Supporters
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Prairie du Chien negotiating team members
(left to right) Jane Yeomans-Petrowitz, Jeff Riter, Pat Urbach
and Nancy Trautsch receive a Crystal Apple Award for their union
work. |
Members of the Prairie du Chien negotiating team received recognition
from their peers Wednesday (May 5, 2004) after persevering an especially
contentious bargaining session.
Team members Nancy Trautsch, Pat Urbach, Jane Yeomans-Petrowitz, David
Antoniewicz and Jeff Riter received Crystal Apple Awards during a recognition
ceremony at the SWEA building in Platteville. The awards are sponsored
by SWEA and the Horace Mann Companies, and organized by SWEA's Public
Relations Committee.
"This is the toughest bargaining I've seen a group have to endure,"
South West Education Association Director LeRoy Roberts said. "Their
local union is really holding together because of this team."
Roberts said the team helped Prairie du Chien members cope with substantial
layoffs, uncooperative administrators and more than a dozen prohibitive
practice lawsuits. "They’ve really been through the grind,"
he said.
The team helped build solidarity among Prairie du Chien members by
encouraging them to wear certain colors to school on specific days,
attend school board meetings and place signs with messages of support
in their car windows.
Four other SWEA members also received Crystal Apple Awards during the
ceremony. They are:
- Will Janssen, negotiations chair for the Mount Horeb Education Association.
Janssen was honored for his work negotiating an outstanding contract
for MHEA members.
- Romona Jones, member of the Seneca Education Association. Jones
was recognized for her commitment to the SEA. She served as the association's
head negotiator for 10 years.
- Joyce Matthews, member of the Iowa Grant Education Association.
Matthews received a Crystal Apple Award for her dedication to the
union. She has served as a local negotiations team member, treasurer,
vice president and president; SWEA Board, PR Committee and Member
Rights Committee member; and as a delegate to the NEA Representative
Assembly. "There are a lot of rewards to union work," Matthews
said when accepting her award. "It feels good to settle a contract
when it's hard fought."
- Dennis Wirth, member of the Darlington Education Association. Wirth
was honored for his work with his local's negotiations team.
SWEA also recognized community members who have made significant contributions
to children and public education with Friend of Education Awards during
the event.
Posted May 6, 2004