Teachers Choose Exclusive Representation

Two years after Springfield NEA first requested a representation election, Springfield teachers finally took a big first step in that direction by choosing "Exclusive Representation" in the first of two representation elections.

While some bemoaned a relatively low turnout of 55% (996), the result was clear:

Exclusive Representation: 58%
Multiple Representation: 41%
No Representation: 1%

Only one ballot was rejected because the voter was not in the bargaining unit.

I would remind those who are worried about the turnout that the school bond/sales tax election, which was all the talk of the community for months, had an 18% turnout. School board elections are known for their minuscule voter turnout, yet those that are elected create policies for our entire school district that shape the working/learning conditions for thousands of teachers and students.

Anytime a ballot issue is unclear or confusing, voters tend to stay home. Springfield NEA had opposed this two-tiered election process from the start because it placed teachers in the unenviable position of trying to decide how to vote in an election about how to hold another election, which is unprecedented in any democratic election process.

Last year, when SNEA submitted a petition to the school board, more than 1,100 teachers asked for a simple exclusive representative election, and the administration and school board ignored that request. On Tuesday, a majority of teachers offered a clear affirmation. Now, the real representation election has finally become a reality, though the date for that election has not yet been set.

SNEA sincerely hopes that the school board will move forward expeditiously in setting a date for the next election so that teachers can begin the long overdue process of bargaining an agreement for teachers in the largest accredited district in Missouri.

A special thanks to the teachers who volunteered to spend a long night as election observers and to building reps across the district who helped get the message out to their colleagues. The excitement we saw and felt in schools all across town was tangible. Springfield teachers have shown that they care deeply about making improvements in our district so that they can provide the best possible educational experience for their students.