Springfield NEA Wins Rep Election!
Finally . . . The Election
Springfield Public School teachers, counselors and librarians voted last Thursday to elect Springfield NEA as their representative. The final vote count was:
Springfield NEA 512 (57%)
Missouri State Teachers Association 383 (42%)
No Representative 12 (1%)
Springfield NEA will now begin organizing a bargaining team to meet with the district to negotiate terms and conditions of employment for nearly 1,800 educators in the state's second largest school district (largest accredited). We feel that this process will help streamline communication and bring much needed teacher-driven improvements to our district.
We're especially proud of the positive manner in which the campaign was conducted and the professionalism that SPS educators displayed throughout this long, protracted process. A reporter asked me on Thursday why no teachers wanted to go on camera to talk about the election. What were they afraid of? I told her that teachers weren't motivated by fear - that their first concern has always been to work with their students without distractions and interruptions. That's where our focus will remain.
It has been an incredibly long process leading to real representation for educators in Springfield. Thanks to all who kept up on the issues, contributed emails to board members, participated in bargaining surveys, talked to colleagues . . . and were part of a decisive vote last Thursday. It was a long time coming, and now the real work begins.
posted by RSmith @ 9:02 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Re: Voter Turnout
I would remind those who continue to moan about voter turnout that every election - national, state, local, school board - is determined solely by those who show up at the polls and vote.
It's interesting that some school board memebers are among those expressing "concern" about the teacher vote turnout. This from a group that is typically elected by 12-15% of the voters - and whose current vice-president was "appointed" without a vote and to this day has never received one vote due to lack of interested candidates. Now there's something to be concerned about.
On the other hand, Springfield teachers were forced to run through a gauntlet of obstacles to finally win a fair representation election - one that could have been held two years ago. Perhaps the turnout at that time would have been greater, who knows. We do know that elections are determined by those who show up - and approximately 1,000 teachers voted not once, but twice to choose their rep.
SNEA is proud of the turnout and proud to have been elected.
Post a Comment
<< Home