In a move aimed at depriving
workers of the right to bargain, the Special District School Board in Pulaski
County, Ark., voted in early December to withdraw recognition of two unions
representing teachers and staff. The board then unilaterally offered increased
pay and health insurance contributions to try to avoid a fight back.
The teachers and staff were not
blinded by this attempt to freeze bargaining. Teachers responded with a one-day
strike on Dec. 10 to demand union bargaining rights. Bus drivers and other
staff walked out in support of the teachers. The board is now threatening to
dock the workers’ pay.
Even
during recessions, teachers are able to win job security and benefits through
struggle. Teachers in Prairie Hills, Ill., courageously engaged in an 11-day
strike that began on Dec. 3 over stalled contract negotiations. The strike
forced the School Board to withdraw proposed retirement and benefits cuts and
grant the teachers annual raises.
