What
This Is…
Issue #86- November 4,
2012
In this issue: Last Minute
Election News and Unions
Election
Updates…
It
hardly seems possible, we are only a couple of days away from the November 6th
election. By now many of you have
probably already decided who you are voting for, and some may have already
voted. If you haven't cast your ballot
yet, be sure to do so on Tuesday.
We
know that this election is important nationally, here are a couple of articles
about why local elections matter just as much (if not more).
I continue to be amazed at
the underhanded and unethical tactics being employed during these campaigns. I know that there are examples from both
sides, but it sure seems like the GOP and there supporters are reaching new
lows on a regular basis.
Chad Lee campaign worker Kyle Wood recants story that he was
attacked for being gay and Republican -
In the end we are seeing
extremely contrasting views of what America should look like and the
role that government should have in our lives.
I am a firm believer that we need a strong government to protect the
interests of all citizens and that government can provide valuable services
that the private sector can not.
Not to mention that the
conservative economic strategies don't work for most of us.
Why
I Love My Union…
We are now only a
couple of days away from the 2012 presidential election. By now I'm sure that most of you have become
saturated with news from the political front.
I have little new to offer to the discussion so I will take this
opportunity to speak my mind about an issue that is of vital importance to me,
labor unions.
This week seems like a
good time to discuss this topic because labor unions and worker's rights have,
to some large degree, become the "elephant in the room". This was the case in the recall elections
here in Wisconsin
as well as during the current campaigns, local and national. It was Act 10, the law that stripped public
employees of many hard won rights, that started the Wisconsin Uprising last
spring. Yet, as the political debate
unfolded unions and worker's rights faded into the background for many
politicians and voters.
It is somewhat puzzling as
to why politicians have avoided speaking much about collective bargaining and
labor unions. Economic issues are the
issues that most voters list as the most important in their minds as they
choose a candidate, and what impacts a persons personal economic status more
than their job and the wages and benefits they get for doing that job? We've seen significant historical evidence
that labor unions have a positive impact on everyone's wages and benefits, yet
voters and politicians frequently chose to ignore this as the recall campaigns
unfolded.
In the presidential race
and the regularly scheduled elections of 2012, organized labor has been a topic
that is rarely addressed. There are
vague references to unions and worker's rights, pledges of support from liberal
candidates and accusations of excessive influence of big labor by
conservatives. However, the issue that
in many ways "started it all" is strikingly absent from much of our
political debate in recent days.
Yet, these upcoming
elections will have a huge impact on workers across America and will, in large measure,
shape the landscape for labor in the immediate future. We have seen that destroying unions is high
on the list of priorities for Republicans around the nation. Wisconsin's
public sector unions were not, in any way shape or form, the only labor
organizations that have been targeted in recent years.
Here in Wisconsin the fear that many of us have
centers around a return of control of the senate to Republicans. We witnessed first hand the lengths that
conservatives in Wisconsin
will go to in order to eliminate unions and their ability to represent
workers. None of us want to see a repeat
of those events and we are concerned that if the GOP regains full control of
our government the attacks will be even more severe. It is often difficult to see the direct
impact of an election on individual's lives, but Wisconsinites learned that
elections do matter in early 2011. The
elections of 2012 could have a similar impact.
The full implementation of
the sanctions against workers laid out in Act 10 has been delayed by protests,
democratic means and legal action. If
Republicans are able to dominate all branches of government again the results
will, in all likelihood, be devastating.
More restrictions on collective bargaining, increased difficulties in
the legal arena and the potential for making Wisconsin a Right to Work state all loom
ahead if the results from this election favor the GOP.
Conservatives have done a
masterful job of painting unions in a negative light. Their success has created an environment
where many citizens, even those who would benefit from union rights, view
unions as an impediment to their success and a threat to our state's fiscal
safety. They point to examples of
corruption and find situations where unions have been incorrect or
short-sighted in their actions. Of
course we can find negative examples in any organization or group if that is
what one chooses to look for. Portraying
unions in a negative light is done, not to benefit workers, but rather to
advance a political agenda.
Over the past couple of
years I have increased my involvement in my union, MTI- Madison Teacher's
Incorporated, exponentially. As my
involvement has increased so too has my appreciation for what my union has done
for me, often without my even knowing it.
I have come to realize how much I value my union and how much more difficult
my job would be without union representation.
MTI has been among the
leaders in the resistance to the conservative efforts to eliminate unions in Wisconsin and, because
of this fact, has taken both significant "heat" as well as receiving
many accolades and tremendous support locally and nationally. We've become a "lightning rod" that
draws attention, attention that is often based on misperceptions as much as
reality. These misperceptions show up in
comments after articles about political events, on political talk shows and in
other similar places on a regular basis.
People in our community really don't understand what unions do, and why
they are important.
A union is many things to
many people. Unfortunately, in the
current political debate we have simplified the discussion to…"Unions are
evil" and "Unions are good".
The reality is somewhere in between, but this fact doesn't justify the
elimination of an entire group of people's right to organize. Eliminating unions undermines democracy and is
wrong for America.
Here's what my union means
to me (not necessarily listed in order of importance).
Wages, Benefits and Working Conditions- The ability of unionized employees to negotiate for
these is the cornerstone of the union movement.
Looking back through history it is clear that workers have rallied
around the efforts to organize around these issues and the unfair treatment
that labor often receives without formal representation. The positive impact that unions have had on
the overall labor picture has been well documented in recent times, and we have
seen the decline of the middle and working class as the membership and
influence of organized labor is reduced.
Organized labor isn't just good for workers, union membership in America
peaked during some of our nation's most productive economic times (the period
following WWII).
Of course, the ability of
unions to negotiate contracts that are good for workers hasn't gone unnoticed
by the economic elite. This group looks
to maximize their profits, no matter the cost to employees, consumers, or the
welfare of the entire nation. Without
unions, employees' ability to influence decisions about wages, benefits and/or
working conditions is reduced and employers are able to exercise their power in
setting the levels of compensation and expectations for employees virtually
unilaterally. These wealthiest of
Americans have focused their attention on destroying unions and have put their
economic and political capital behind efforts to undermine the credibility of
organized labor with the general public.
Management and ownership
has used their influence to make the strength of a union, its ability to
improve the economic conditions of its members, a liability. Their primary weapons have been their ability
to influence legislation and policy to make organizing more difficult for
workers as well as their use of propaganda to create division within
labor. Their political power has been
wielded in many ways with the latest, and most blatant being the wave of
anti-labor legislation that struck places like Wisconsin,
Ohio and Michigan during the past year.
The "divide and
conquer" approach to destroying unions has been an effective tool for
anti-worker forces to gain (and maintain) power so that they can implement
their agenda more effectively.
Essentially this means that conservatives, corporate leadership and
other anti-labor activists use their political and economic clout to spout
anti-union rhetoric. They use whatever
means possible to make unions look like the enemy, when the exact opposite is
usually true. They portray unionized
workers as lazy, incompetent and anti-American while trying to make it seem
that being controlled and manipulated by management is somehow preferable to
having a voice in the workplace.
I have enjoyed significant
benefits as a member of a public sector union (Madison Teachers Inc.) in a city
(Madison, WI)
that heavily supports collective bargaining rights for workers. I benefit from a set salary schedule, good
benefits and a collective bargaining agreement that goes a long way towards
protecting me from arbitrary decisions from administrators and ever changing
policies imposed from outside forces.
Should this make me the envy of other workers in education and even employees
in other fields? I don't believe
so. Shouldn't my union and the
representation it provides be a model for all workers? Instead of trying to pull educators and other
public workers down, shouldn't all workers be uniting to try and improve their
wages, benefits and working conditions?
Conservatives would have
the public believe that educators and other public workers have been running Wisconsin's budget into
the ground with our "outlandish" wages and benefits. They want people to think that our unions are
negotiating working conditions that benefit no one, except for lazy
educators. What they ignore is the fact
that our wages and benefits packages have been restricted by legislation
imposed decades ago (under the watch of everyone's previous favorite governor,
Tommy Thompson). The also don't see how
we have had to fight to maintain parts of our contracts, like planning time,
that help make us more effective educators.
The results of the
conservative attacks are far reaching and destructive. We have not yet seen the full impacts that
the legislative assault on education of 2011 will have, but the initial results
are disturbing enough.
A labor union's primary
job is to represent the best interests of the employees they serve and this
usually involves negotiating for wages, benefits and working conditions. Without organized labor, employees are at the
mercy of management, and has few (if any) allies in their efforts to receive
fair compensation and working conditions for their labor. As we face an uncertain future, I know that
my union will be standing with my fellow educators and me as we try to defend
our rights in the workplace. Whether in
the courts, in negotiations, at the ballot box, on the streets or anywhere else
the struggle takes us we are united in our efforts.
A Voice- It
is pretty obvious that one worker, standing alone, has little ability to be
heard and to influence their overall status.
This is a contrast to management or ownership's power in the workplace,
where a single individual wields much more influence. This imbalance of power exists in virtually
all workplaces, even ones where highly specialized skills are employed. Because of the inequities in power and
resources, workers find themselves relying on finding support in numbers. A union provides a way to organize and focus
the power of employees so that they can work towards improving their wages,
benefits and working conditions.
This ability to have a voice
in the workplace goes beyond the "basics" and also allows workers to
have an impact beyond their immediate job sites. This is especially true in professions like
education where educators are often a voice, not only for themselves, but also
for their "customers", the families and students we serve. As more and more "reforms" are
imposed on public schools and funding for education is cut from budgets, we
find educators on the front lines working to defend a public resource that
provides valuable services that are open to all families regardless of race,
income, etc.
Without union protection,
individual educators would be vulnerable to sanctions imposed if they didn't
"toe the line" and embrace all "reforms" that political
leaders and distant administrators would inflict on the schools. Public educator unions are among the leaders
in the fight against excessive testing and using test results to evaluate
educators and schools. While
conservatives argue that this is to avoid accountability for educators, the
reality is that for most of us we recognize the damage that excessive,
punitive, standardized testing does to education and students. Other "reforms" offered in recent
years are equally harmful to all who work and learn in public schools.
We also know that in local
politics, small special interest groups can have a big influence on public
policy and local politicians. Members of
public educator unions are another voice in the argument and often stand up for
the disenfranchised. While it may not be
the official "job" of the union to do this, remember the union's
first priority is its membership, the protections that union membership offers
allow its members to speak their minds about important issues in education and
in the community. As a faculty
representative for my union I find myself fielding almost as many questions
about community involvement and ways to help our students/families as I do
contract issues. Unfortunately, we are
often opposed by groups who are focused on a single issue or who support
"reforms" that don't work.
A union is a democratic
institution and I'm proud of the way that my union conducts business. Our meetings are open and we make every
effort to have all opinions heard in discussions. This often means that our meetings run a
little longer, or that progress towards a goal may be slowed by discussion, but
in the end it is the process and the open participation that results in
movement in positive directions.
This also means that our
organizations are evolving and changing as our membership changes and the needs
of our members and communities change.
In any discussion this means that the union's position may not move far
enough in one direction or another, or may not change fast enough in some
people's minds. We know that there are
important issues of equity and fairness that must be addressed in public
education (and society as a whole) and that all of us can be a part of the
problem at times, as well as part of the solutions. Through discussion, debate and active
memberships unions work to try and navigate through the maze of information and
improve the quality of their service as well as improve public education in
general. All this while at the same time
remembering that "An Injury to One, Is an Injury to All" and working
to protect all member's rights.
There are times when a
union's advocacy for its membership makes it unpopular with the general
public. Public educator unions have been
blamed for the Achievement Gaps, failing schools, the Wisconsin
budget deficit and countless other problems.
What people often forget is that unions represent people who work
directly with students and that the working conditions and morale of these
workers mirror the working conditions and morale of the students in
schools. By protecting the educators,
unions also work to protect students and families.
Individually each
educator's voice is just a whisper, but united in a union those voices become
exponentially louder. Public educator
union members will continue to use their voices to defend public education, our
students and ourselves in any manner possible (and even some that seem
impossible).
A Safety Net- When I think of my union and what it provides me I get a sense of
safety and security. Not in the broader
sense that we often think of a safety net in our society, but rather in the
sense of a group that truly "has my back". The image of a safety net is accurate because
I know that I am able to take risks and will be protected and supported by my
union. This can be in a formal, legal
sense, or it can be more informal and personal.
Over the years I have seen how a union helps members in many ways.
Unions also are able to
provide expertise and defend its members in ways that individual members never
would be able to. Just knowing that
there are union personnel out there working to defend us and advance our cause
gives members a sense of security and renewed confidence that the system can
work for everyone.
Of course there are also
the more immediate ways that a union provides a safety net for its
members. For example, MTI has a
"Solidarity Fund" that members can donate to, and receive loans from
as their ability or need requires. Union
leadership is always looking for ways to help membership and to provide support
for us in our professional and personal lives.
Cooperation and Community- Along with the concrete and visible support a union
provides comes the sense of community and caring that being a member of a
positive group brings. This becomes more
apparent during times of crisis, like our current situation. The challenges that we have faced over the
past months have brought educators together in ways that have helped all of us
keep motivated in our efforts to protect our own rights and the rights of those
who rely on our services.
Along the way we have
become more aware of the needs of all educators and school employees while
becoming a more tightly knit community.
Examples of solidarity between bargaining units and different
"subgroups" of educators are easy to find and help cement us together
as a collective whole. We are more
thoughtful of each other and are sensitive to the different needs that
different "specialties" in our profession have.
That sense of Solidarity,
or togetherness creates positive feelings and allows for educators to retain
their optimism, even in the face of the all-out assault on our profession and
our public schools. The community of
committed professionals that make up our unions give us strength to face the
challenges that being an educator in modern America bring. A statement that I hear frequently from my
fellow MTI members is, "I can't imagine what I would do without my
union".
Hope- In
the end, this single word can sum up what a union provides its members. Without hope we would lose our focus and will
to speak out in defense of what we know is best for our students. As in the tale of "Pandora's Box",
the lid has come off and the negative policies and emotions have been loosed on
the world of public education, but unions represent the hope that allows us to
continue the fight. A hopeful group of
committed educators is a powerful force in the struggle to determine the future
of public education in America,
and unions are the backbone of that effort.
