At 12:29 AM 8/3/2003 -0400, Karen DeFrank wrote:
> because the Association negotiates our contract with the local
>school board.
>Seems like that would be illegal, doesn't it?
>I am debating pulling out, since the Association continues to back political
>candidates whose opinions on critical issues do not coincide with mine
Please don't construe this as a flame in any way, but I'd like to make just
a small point here....what kind of a contract do you think you would have
if the association was NOT bargaining for you? I have worked under both
regimes. Pre-union, I qualified for food stamps the first three years I
taught. It wasn't until I married and my wife was also teaching that I no
longer qualified, though individually, we still would have. Am I better off
with a union contract? Definitely. Do I agree with every political stance
CTA/NEA takes? Of course not. Will I withdraw? No, because I see the
value of a larger voice in bargaining and in state and national
affairs. If I disagree with a position taken by my professional
organizations (NEA , CTA, ALA, AASL, ACE, CSLA) I work to change it. I
think we undermine our voice (our political clout, if you will) if we
abandon our professional organizations.
True, we *have* to join the local union, whereas membership in state and
national library associations are voluntary. On the other hand, how would
it be possible to negotiate health benefits group pricing, (or wages with
an employer, for that matter) without the entire group? It really isn't
practical (or economically viable) for individuals to strike their own
deals with employers.
Also, think on this. If you have no contract, you have no protection. How
would you handle a young, single new librarian who offers to do your job
for the district for $3,000 less per year than you are getting, just to get
their foot in the door and some experience on the resume? Do you think a
district strapped for funds (and without a contract to stop them) would
overlook the chance to make such a saving? What about a retired person who
offered to do your job for half pay because they missed working with kids?
There IS strength in numbers, and it counts at the negotiating table...and
in legislatures.
Mark Williams
Librarian
Colton High School
Colton, CA 92324
mark_williams@eee.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'll have to admit that he's a very competent scholar."
"Isn't he just a librarian?" Garion asked, "somebody who looks after books?"
"That's where all the rest of scholarship starts, Garion. All the books in
the world won't help you if they're just piled up in a heap." (David
Eddings "King of the Murgos.")
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