Union Man

Thursday, April 25, 2024

What a whirlwind week. My union held a strike vote today for our educational assistants. It was very successful. I can't believe how quickly things moved this past week. 

The Arturo Fuente started and finished well but was a little harsh for my taste mid-smoke. Overall I enjoyed it though, especially so after a particularly grueling day of school. 

Notes on the preceding week:

On Monday night the bargaining team for the  EA chapter of my union were in contract mediation with our district and a mediator. I also went to a strike vote training for how to run a strike vote at my school site. As co-steward of my site and leader of the contract team at my school, this would take a lot last minute organizing. Union members would not be allowed to vote during duty hours. We'd need to vote before or after the school day or during our duty free lunches so asking members to give up their lunch to staff the voting room would take some [huge understatement] work. I'll be honest; the uncertainty was a little anxiety provoking. However, the I was actually feeling some excitement to temper my nerves. We've been aware for a while that a strike vote would be a possibility last week I was proactive and reached out to a couple of retired colleagues to ask if they'd be willing to help monitor the vote. One of them told be they'd be available and be there.

On Tuesday night the bargaining team of the teacher chapter of my union was in mediation. We were awaiting word on whether both chapters had reached a tentative agreement or if a strike vote for each chapter would be called. More uncertainty and anxiety but also good amount of excitement to balance it all out. 

By early Wednesday morning we were informed that neither the teacher or EA chapter had reached a tentative agreement. A strike vote would be held Thursday. Crunch time. Members at my site needed to be informed of how and when they could vote. I let each member know by text. My co-steward and I put into play the organization plan we put developed Monday night including getting the ballots and envelopes we received voting Monday night and put together a ballot box, informing members of how and when to vote planning how to get completed ballots to the union hall, etc. 

On Thursday morning we were informed that what they were calling a tentative- tentative agreement had been reached for our teacher chapter and that the strike vote for teachers had been cancelled. It was being called a tentative-TA due to a few minor things needing to be ironed out btt they felt confident enough about it to call off the strike vote. However, a TA had not been reached for the EA chapter and the strike vote for them would procede. This was a relief to me because my chapter was now a lot closer to settlement and NOT having to go on strike. However the mobilization of our EAs to vote would procede however is only about 28% of the total union membership at our site. This meaning the whole process of the strike vote would be a little less involved and intense. 

Friday felt relief that the weekend had finally arrived after such a grueling week. I was in excited anticipation to find out the count of the ESP strike vote. 

On Saturday morning we found out the ESP chapter had a YES vote of 92 percent to authorize a strike!

On Monday morning the tentative-TA was upgraded to a TA meaning we can now procede to vote yes or no on it. 

By Thursday, May 2nd the ESP chapter reached a tentative agreement!