Tennessee Senate GOPers advance bill to bust teachers' union (TEA)

[doeriver]

Tennessee Republicans take first swipe at teachers union
Vote to end bargaining rights comes day before Haslam plan
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110217/NEWS02/102170350/Tennessee-Republicans-take-first-swipe-teachers-union
3:48 AM, Feb. 17, 2011

Republican lawmakers have pushed ahead of Gov. Bill Haslam in the race to shape the state's agenda on education and provoked a confrontation with Tennessee's biggest teachers union.

The state Senate took the first step Wednesday toward rewriting Tennessee's education laws this year, when a committee voted to reverse a 1978 law that gave teachers the right to bargain collectively through a union.

The bill is one of several proposals being promoted in the legislature that would reduce the power of the 52,000-member Tennessee Education Association. They are being pursued without the backing of Haslam, who has been working for the past several weeks on education reforms of his own.

"We're here to do the people's business," said Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, the bill's sponsor. "We don't need to wait until April to start moving bills."

The Senate Education Committee voted on party lines 6-3 Wednesday to advance Senate Bill 113, a measure brought by Johnson that would end the requirement that local school districts negotiate contracts with collective bargaining units organized by teachers. The Tennessee School Boards Association backs the legislation, and the TEA, which represents teachers in all 92 of the Tennessee school districts that have created collective bargaining units, opposes it.

Supporters say the bill would end litigation over teacher contracts, make it easier to fire bad teachers and give teachers who are not members of the union more say in discussions over pay, classroom conditions and education reform.

Opponents say the bill would strip teachers of their ability to negotiate with school boards, and it is little more than payback by Republicans for the TEA's past support of Democratic candidates.

"I think it's unfortunate that that went right down party lines," said Jerry Winters, TEA's director of government relations. "We don't consider this an education bill. They need to be talking about the real issues facing teachers in this state, and if they want to say they've taken away teachers' voice and take credit for that, they can take credit."

(more at hyperlink above)

Senate Education Committee Video - February 16, 2011
http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/videowrapper/default.aspx?CommID=63

1. *http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0102">SB0102 by *Gresham, *Summerville, *Kelsey, *Tracy, *Campfield, *Ketron, *Bell, *Watson, *Beavers, *Johnson. (http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0565">HB0565 by *Hensley.)
Pensions and Retirement Benefits - As introduced, changes the method of selection of trustees of TCRS representing teachers and retired teachers from election by the representative assemblies of the Tennessee Education Association and the Tennessee Retired Teachers Association respectively to appointment by the speakers of the senate and the house. - Amends TCA Section 8-34-302 and Section 8-34-303.
Summary exists for *SB0102


2. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0294">SB0294 by *Gresham. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0179">HB0179 by *Casada.)
Local Education Agencies - As introduced, prohibits LEAs from denying equal access to LEA employees to all domestic professional employees' organizations offering membership to all certificated personnel. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 2.
Summary exists for SB0294


3. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0113">SB0113 by *Johnson, *Gresham, *Summerville, *Kelsey, *Ketron. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0130">HB0130 by *Maggart, *Casada.)
Teachers, Principals and School Personnel - As introduced, abolishes teachers' unions ability to negotiate terms and conditions of professional service with local boards of education. - Amends TCA Section 5-23-107 and Title 49.
Summary exists for SB0113


4. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0330">SB0330 by *Summerville, *Gresham. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0233">HB0233 by *Brooks H.)
Education, Higher - As introduced, requires public institutions of higher education to give equal access to any domestic professional educators' organization if access to students in teacher training programs is granted to any other professional educators' organization. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 5; Title 49, Chapter 7; Title 49, Chapter 8 and Title 49, Chapter 9.
The Abstract summarizes SB0330 as introduced.


5. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0309">SB0309 by *Gresham. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0202">HB0202 by *Casada.)
Education, Dept. of - As introduced, authorizes department to request assistance, regarding matters related to the Volunteer Public Education Trust Fund Act, from any state-licensed classroom instructor instead of the Tennessee Education Association in general. - Amends TCA Section 49-3-404.
The Abstract summarizes SB0309 as introduced.


6. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0311">SB0311 by *Gresham. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0203">HB0203 by *Casada.)
Education - As introduced, replaces the Tennessee Education Association's recommendations with any state-licensed classroom instructor for consideration by speaker of the house for appointment on the Tennessee financial literacy commission's board of directors. - Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 7, Part 31.
The Abstract summarizes SB0311 as introduced.


7. http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB0061">SB0061 by *Gresham. (*http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0037">HB0037 by *Dunn.)
Education - As introduced, removes annual reporting requirement of the state board of education on the weight of textbooks. - Amends TCA Title 49.
The Abstract summarizes SB0061 as introduced.