New voices for bargaining

NEA Today, May 1999

New Voices for Bargaining

This winter, members of NEA Missouri came closer than they have in a generation to winning a collective bargaining law for public employees.

Before the bill died, these grassroots lobbyists gained some pretty impressive allies, including Governor Mel Carnahan and House Speaker Steve Gaw. "Teachers," Gaw said, "deserve to be treated as partners in every aspect of education."

Even some school administrators chimed in, endorsing non-confrontational interest-based bargaining.

"In districts that already enjoy good relationships between the school board and teachers, interestbased bargaining strengthens the relationship and gives you a new set of skills to work with," said Lee Brittenham, superintendent of the Francis Howell district. "You can continue to use these skills long after the bargaining process is over."

"The process itself does a lot to build trust and creates a better environment for kids," added Gary Stephens, assistant superintendent of the Northwest R-1 district.