A Healthy Contract

New York
While Associations across the country struggle to win solid health insurance coverage, the Oneonta Teachers Association (OTA) recently won a contract for teachers that includes a 4 percent salary increase in each of three years-and adds health coverage for retirees. A yearlong campaign drew the support of education advocates from across the city.

"By taking the high road and running a dignified campaign, we were able to increase positive perceptions of the OTA internally and externally," says Tim Nobiling, OTA president. "The district has shown that it can pay health benefits to retirees, while members are willing to help the district meet the cost."

Speak No Evil

Illinois
Four members of the Illinois Education Association (IEA) were reassigned to teach different grade levels at different schools as punishment for speaking out against school district proposals. Becky Belt, Karen Jenkins, Marsha Land, and Jennifer Lincoln are now suing the district. And IEA is speaking out on their behalf.

"I am appalled that teachers who exercised their right of free speech to speak out in defense of students would be punished for their actions," says IEA President Ken Swanson. " The suit is pending.

Kinder Teaching 101

Connecticut
The Connecticut Education Association  (CEA), working with school superintendents and AFT Connecticut, recently won passage of preK legislation that mandates certification of public and private sector preK teachers, starting in 2015.

"This legislation will have a long-term impact and will truly address the achievement gap," says CEA President Rosemary Coyle. "When a child comes to school prepared for learning, it affects the rest of his or her life."

NEA assisted CEA with polling and helped locate national experts for an in-depth preK symposium attended by top state lawmakers.

Fair is Fair

Tennessee
The Tennessee Education Association and other groups have organized statewide workshops to address inequitable tax policies. A recent report by the Tax Structure Study Commission found that the bottom fifth of Tennesseans pay about 12 percent of their income in state and local taxes while the top 1 percent pays about 3.5 percent. Representatives from Tennesseans for Fair Taxation  note that low-income families pay a much larger portion of their income to keep schools functioning.

Tiger by the Tail

Arkansas
Members of the North Little Rock Education Support Professionals Association (NLRESP) were floored recently when the school board announced plans to review bids to privatize all transportation services. Worse, the board wanted to take action at its next meeting-just four weeks later. So NLRESP hit the ground running, distributing flyers to parents and speaking at church groups, in business meetings, and with journalists.

"The district did not know it had grabbed onto a tiger," says Peggy Nabors, Arkansas Education Association UniServ Director. "We showed [board members] that the only money saved was from sick leave and retirement benefits." Instead of taking bids, the board voted unanimously not to sub-contract transportation services.

Hands in the Cookie Jar

Alabama
The Alabama Education Association (AEA) helped stymie a bid by state officials to divert money from the state's Education Trust Fund (ETF). Earlier in the year, the governor had proposed allocating $70 million from the ETF for non-education programs.

"AEA stands with the people of Alabama who know that their tax dollars for education are earmarked and will not allow diversion of education money for other purposes," says Paul Hubbert, AEA secretary-treasurer. The growth of ETF revenue and endowment funds will help future education funding problems.

To the Rescue

Oklahoma
"School employees may think that they can't afford to belong to the OEA (Oklahoma Education Association), but the truth is that a school employee can't afford not to," says Carolyn Lewis.

She should know. A former teacher, Lewis recently settled a lawsuit with a school district that unfairly dismissed her as part of a Reduction in Force. After 14 years of teaching, Lewis was reassigned to a new alternative education program that was eliminated within weeks of starting up. Lewis was also terminated with no hope of regaining a job with the district. OEA legal services sued the board for improper dismissal. After two years, Lewis settled her case out of court.