Union President !

I started to teach in 1975 after four years in the Air Force and five years in college.  After being on the job only two years I was asked to become a building representative for my teacher association called B.L.E.A.

After the association was allowed, by Ohio law, to become a recognized union I ran for the job as vice president. After serving in that capacity for a couple of years I was elected President of over 120 members.  We had a master contract and my job was to protect our teachers and make sure the administration followed the contract and did not violate teacher’s rights.

Late one night in 1981 or 1982 I received a call from a teacher who was attending a meeting of O.P.S.E. That was the Ohio Public School Employees. That union represented all other employees in the school district. This union was comprised of cooks, secretaries janitors repairmen and bus drivers. The teacher who called me was also a bus driver and a member of both unions.

He told me that because they had no contract they were going on a wildcat strike the following morning. I was a little peeved not to hear from their President ahead of time. I didn’t know much but I did know that I could not let the teachers show up for work the next day and see picket lines and not know what to do.

I called the members of my executive council and started a phone chain to all members. I also obtained the use of a union hall near the school for a 6:00 meeting the next morning.  After much soul searching I had decided to tell all of the union members to go to work and not to cross the picket lines. After a heated discussion teachers were advised to get out of their cars and wait 30 min and then return home. It had been decided that our union would respect the picket lines of our brother union.

I knew we had a legal contract and that I was taking a big chance. The school board could and would sue our union if this mess went on longer than a day or two. I went home too and as soon as I entered the house my phone rang and the Superintendent was on the line. He yelled at me for a while and insisted that we all report to work the next day. I informed him that I did not scare easily and it would be in his interest to settle his dispute with the outer union. He told me that he could have me put into jail. I had no idea if he was right or not but I told him he was wasting valuable time talking to me when he could fix this problem by sitting down with the other union.

After he hung up I spent a tension filled day fielding calls from teachers wanting to know what was going on. I was a little worried because I only had a two year contract and I was putting my job on the line to support our union brothers and sisters.

To my relief I received a call late that night that said the strike was over and things could return to normal. I started the phone chain again and all seemed well. I felt good because I thought that by supporting the O.P.S.E. Union we had forged a bond with  a union who would support us when and if we ever had need. Boy was I wrong: To be continued.