Proposals take aim at UEA dominance

Some lawmakers are making legislative efforts to level the playing field for competing teacher associations in Utah, giving all groups equal access to teachers and prohibiting school districts from endorsing the Utah Education Association or any other group.

They also want to take the term "UEA" out of the term "UEA weekend," the traditional autumn teacher break designed for meeting and enriching their careers.

The UEA is by far the largest teacher organization in the state and engages in collective bargaining in a number of school districts. But last week leaders of competing organizations referred to it as the "800-pound gorilla" that scares off competition.

"There are a lot of educators in the state of Utah who are not UEA members," said Pat Fender, American Federation of Teachers labor representative. The bill would "give us equal access ... to our members."

David Barrett, Utah Coalition of Educators president, who worked with Mark Madsen, R-Lehi, on SB56, said the domination has been facilitated by structures, policies and procedures of school districts, which critics say is unfair to other associations.

Leaders from the AFT and the UCE said their organizations have often been locked out of access to mailboxes, bulletin boards or other ways of accessing membership in districts that are dominated by UEA membership.

The bill would allow all associations to distribute information to teachers in both e-mail and physical mailboxes as well as solicit membership during teacher orientations.

The measure advanced out of the Senate Education Committee with a favorable recommendation despite being called unnecessary by the School Boards Association and school district leaders.

Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, has also introduced a bill that would let employees decide month-to-month if they want to continue having union dues deducted from their paychecks.

SB159 spells out that an "employee is not under any agreement, contract or obligation to continue payments or contributions to the labor organization for any set period in excess of one month" and limits the amount that can be deducted per month to no more than 3 percent of an employee's wages.

Fender said the bill originates from a June legislative budget committee in which lawmakers learned that some district administrators wouldn't let employees start or stop UEA membership dues until they first consulted with the association. Fender says that violates right-to-work laws.

"They will have the freedom to choose," Stephenson said of teachers and other employees. While he said he did not expect the issue to end up in court if his bill passes, he does expect it to be controversial.

"I'm sure it will cause serious concerns because unions don't like to give their members freedom of choice," the senator said. He said the bill should not affect overall membership in unions but could make it easier for union members to join alternative organizations.

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