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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.
 | | Tim Schultz | 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.
They used a committee structure they had developed prior to and
immediately after 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:
- Political action. The committee arranged for 28th Assembly
District candidate Charles Wolden to visit with members and
also invited incumbent Rep. Mark Pettis. WEAC members are recommending
Wolden in this targeted race. The committee also distributed
campaign literature to members about WEAC-recommended candidates
and is exploring other activities for supporting pro-education
candidates in the November 2 election. Rasmussen said the committee
will follow up after the election with an accountability session
with the winner. The Action Plan calls for each local to hold
an accountability session with its state representative and
state senator in January 2005 to get them to clearly declare
their position on repeal of the QEO and school district revenue
caps.
- I See Red Day on October 15. On this day, WEAC members
throughout the state wore red to work to express their support
for candidates who support great schools. The St. Croix Falls
committee arranged for an NUE grant to help reduce the cost
of I See Red T-shirts, and almost every member ordered one from
WEAC. The T-shirts were specially ordered and have SCF embroidered
on the sleeves.
- School board resolution. This committee is preparing
a resolution that asks the Legislature to repeal the QEO and
school district revenue caps. As part of the Great Schools Statewide
Action Plan, every local is asked to present the resolution
to its local school board and ask the board to approve it and
send it on to the Legislature and the Wisconsin Association
of School Boards. The St. Croix Falls unit was preparing to
present the resolution in late October.
- E-mail your legislator day. This committee is making
plans for each member to send an e-mail to his or her state
representative and senator on January 14, calling for repeal
of the QEO and revenue controls and supporting a change in state
education funding to ensure that every child in the school district
has access to an adequately funded public education. This is
another statewide activity outlined in the Action Plan.
- School board attendance. This committee will make sure
at least one local unit member attends every school board meeting.
- Calling tree. This committee, organized last winter,
has set up a calling tree structure so that important information
can be communicated quickly among members.
- Public relations. This committee was created in preparation
for possible job actions that were not needed this year, but
it is ready to tackle public relations needs as they arise.
“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 |