Success Outside the Comfort Zone

A Colorado ESP local spreads its wings, building membership and earning the respect of school administrators.

Photo: Bryan Kelsen

NEA Local Affiliate: Cañon City (Colorado) Educational Support Personnel Association (CCESPA).

The Numbers: In the past year and a half, CCESPA has grown by 450 percent, to 98 members. "Our strength is in numbers, and these numbers speak for themselves!" says local President Judy Near, a health technician at Skyline Elementary.

Who's Listening: Through membership and "relationship" building, CCESPA leaders have earned the respect of school board members and administrators and negotiated their first collective bargaining agreement. Cañon City school officials have rejected a management model, still popular in some Colorado districts, that boils down to treating education support professionals like second-rate citizens, intimidating or firing them for union activism, and violating their constitutional rights to free expression and association.

Who Got It Going: Back in 2001, membership in this Rocky Mountain local was just above sea level. "There was fear and uncertainty out there," acknowledges CCESPA grievance chair John Butts, head custodian at Washington Elementary. With help from the Pikes Peak Education Association (PPEA), Butts and other CCESPA stalwarts started building a real NEA local affiliate, one "classified" employee at a time. Backed by a growing membership, a courageous group of activists—including Butts, Near, custodian Jason Jones, and secretary Cheryl Hutchinson—then requested official union recognition from the school board in May 2002.

How It Fell Together: "You could see those note cards shaking," recalls PPEA UniServ Director Misty Hart, "but these classifieds delivered a professional, eloquent message about teamwork." The school board was intrigued. In long follow-up discussions with school officials, CCESPA leaders explained how they would represent all ESPs, why classifieds needed "equality" at the table with teachers, and why a negotiated contract—a bilateral written pact that can only be changed through mutual agreement—is superior to a top-down employer "policy."

These educators also explained how Association recognition would benefit schools and students. "When classifieds begin to feel they matter, that they have a purpose, they begin to perform even better," said custodian Jones. "Kids can't help but benefit as a result."

On to a First Contract: With its burning questions answered, the school board voted unanimously in September 2002 to recognize CCESPA for the purpose of collective bargaining—if the local could prove, in a ballot conducted by the Colorado Department of Labor, that it represented a majority of ESPs. When that vote was conducted, 76 percent of Cañon City classifieds said "yes" to the Association.

By August 2003, CCESPA members ratified their first contract. It's a barebones document—bargaining over money will wait until this spring—but the agreement does include a dispute resolution procedure and provisions covering leave, holidays, and "maintenance" of existing benefits.

Banking on Relationships: CCESPA members now have both a procedure to tackle issues as they arise—be it fair application of the dress code or compensation for work performed after the normal day—and a solid relationship with administrators that facilitates solutions. "During the time we sought recognition, it was real important to prove to the administration that we were not out to 'headhunt,' but to make things better for the district," notes President Near. "Two school board members who initially opposed Association recognition changed their minds because they got to know, trust, and believe in us. Relationship building is the catalyst of getting where you want to go."

Making It Safe to Advocate: There's no place for fear in an atmosphere based on respect and trust. As the comfort level of CCESPA members has increased, so has the scope and depth of Association leadership. This small local has a 14-member executive board, representing every ESP job category. "These leaders haven't been selected, they've just emerged!" says Near. "They've taken one step beyond their comfort level," adds Jason Jones, the local vice president. That's because this Colorado district recognizes the right of ESPs to speak and act collectively.

—Dave Winans

Form more, Contact CCESPA President Judy Near at judyleenear@aol.com.