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WI School Teachers Vote To Disband Union: “…we never had to use their services.”

By: LaborUnionReport (Diary)  |  December 12th, 2011 at 09:30 AM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

When given a choice, teachers in four out of eleven schools in Racine County, Wisconsin have decided to disband the unions they paid dues into for years.

According to the Journal Times, by a slim majority (of those voting), North Cape School District teachers voted to disband the union.

However, in Yorkville, the vote was unanimous. Out of the 29 teachers who voted, all 29 voted to disband.

Becky Seitz, the former union president, stated:

“In the 30-some years we were part of the (American Federation of Teachers union), we never had to use their services. There were never any grievances that warranted that,” Seitz said, explaining teachers found it unnecessary to keep paying monthly dues of about $50 when they weren’t using union services anyway. “We really – and I’m going to be honest – never really got much out of it. We’ve always had a good relationship with our administrators and our board.” [Emphasis added.]

Simply put, at $50 per month*, a 30-year teacher paid $18,000 for services that were never used.

  • It is likely that the dues were not always $50 per month. Regardless of the actual amount,  however, once the freedom to choose was given, the teachers in Yorkville (and NCSD) chose to keep their $600 in their own pocketbooks.

So, how is it that Scott Walker is the bad guy in this?

________________

“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

Cross-posted at LaborUnionReport.com

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COMMENTS

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  • edintexas

    I’m old enough to remember when there was no AFT, and the NEA did not take on the duties of a union (even in states which were not right to work states).

    What surprises me is there were any school districts which voted to retain union “representation”. Perhaps they are hoping for a reversal of the changes to retirement and health insurance passed this year. If the effort to recall Walker fails and the Legislature remains Republican after the next elections, these teachers may decide they are not going to have the statutes changed back to the preferred position on retirement and health insurance they had before this year and a failure to reverse will eliminate union representation in most school districts.

  • texas214

    nt

  • izoneguy

    For Perry – I doubt Newt or Mitt would even mention it.

  • flannery

    The teachers did a classic cost-benefit analysis and the Union failed. It clearly was charging too much for the services that it provided. More evidence of the invisible hand pushing the socialists out of the door.

  • http://wadingacross.wordpress.com logus

    I can understand the “need” for a teacher’s union, but only on a district by district basis. Certainly not a national level and probably not even a state level.

    Make unions completely volunteer – from membership to staffing – and only interested in their local, district needs. I think that’d go a long way in garnering more public support and respect for unions.

    If the membership is completely volunteer as would be the staffing/representation – which would have a required rotational/term limit basis – with no money coming in and no money being handed around, there is less likely-hood for corruption, no?

    And, as the Tea Party and other large organizations have shown, there is strength in numbers and you can often persuade people, governments and organizations when you are in a group.

    There are certainly times when unions act in the best interest of their members, as when sometimes school districts do things for their bottom line and not for the students they were created to serve.

    My wife works in a public school – she is not a teacher, but interacts with students daily – and does not belong to a union even though she’s been pressed for years to join. She has benefited from the actions of unions because of things they’ve done for employees across the board. Recently, she applauded the union because they stood up against the district which was trying to change some things which would have had a negative impact on many students she was working with.

    So, unions can have good sides… it just has to be watched like a hawk and certainly needs reform on all levels and types.

    • proudgop

      I remember when I worked for UPS during college I had to pay these dues for a union that did squat for me and only used my money to support liberal Democrats.

      Slightly off topic did you guys see this story on Wisconsin Walker Recall
      http://www.wisn.com/r/29958007/detail.html

      Man proud he signed recall 80 times!

    • mkozikowski

      from membership to staffing

  • zachv

    “The Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission tallied the results of voting over the last two weeks by members of 208 local bargaining units for teachers and school support staff. The commission says 177 units voted to recertify with 51 percent or more of the vote.” — Chicago Tribune

    There’s still A LOT of spite aimed directly at Scott Walker, and while it’s good that we do have teachers that are voting not to recertify, there’s still a huge majority that are. :\

    Still. I’m proud that I’m a Wisconsinite. I’m proud of my Governor.

    … and I’m ecstatic that the TAs union here at UW-Madison FAILED to recertify. Good riddance for an organization that walked out on my classes.

  • greyeagle

    Well if the teachers are liberal, they probably don’t mind that their dues will go to elect Obama. If you are conservative, then it will make you angry. I am glad some of the teachers there are getting wise to their little games.