2005 COMMENTARY

October 26, 2005

Teachers reject union; form independent professional association

Teachers in the Sprague-Lamont School District (an hour west of Spokane) voted October 10 to decertify the Washington Education Association (WEA) as their collective bargaining representative.

Led by science teacher Jim Dishon, the teachers formed a local professional organization, the Sprague-Lamont Professional Educators Association. The teachers received assistance from Northwest Professional Educators, a non-union, non-profit professional educators association based in Spokane.

Michael Reitz, the director of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation's Labor Policy Center, released the following comment:

"The National Education Association and its local affiliate, the Washington Education Association, disrespect teachers by overcharging for collective bargaining in order to finance a radical political agenda that is out of line with the views of a majority of teachers.

"These teachers in Sprague-Lamont School District can now negotiate directly with the district on their own behalf at a fraction of the cost of WEA dues.

"This should give teachers across our state hope; it’s not necessary to be strapped to the WEA’s mast in order to teach in Washington."

Michael Reitz is available for comment on this or any other labor policy-related questions. He can be reached at (360) 956-3482.

Cindy Omlin, Executive Director of the Northwest Professional Educators, is also available for comment: (800) 380-6973.

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