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 Your heart is slightly bigger than the average human heart, but that's because you're a teacher. 

-- Aaron Bacall

Legislation

MSTA Action

Click on the PDF icon for a complete copy of the MSTA Final ACTION 2008

Document(s) in pdf format. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat®.

  |   Fear, uncertainty and doubt doom collective-bargaining bills   |   Cost, school-choice issues derail teacher-salary proposal   |   House defeats vouchers — again   |   MSTA stands alone in fight to improve teacher salaries   |   Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed bills   |   Damaged school buildings get help   |   Budget heads to governor’s desk   |   Bill to help military families passes   |   New alternative-certification option becomes law   |

Fear, uncertainty and doubt doom collective-bargaining bills

The successful all-out attack by the state’s unions to defeat HB2059 (K. Wilson) and SB1158 (Mayer) means that school districts will face tough decisions on how to negotiate with their teaching staffs. Without the clear guidance that a law would have provided, it is likely that we will see a spate of lawsuits in coming months.

After the House approved the MSTA plan, organized labor unions — even those without ties to education — made it their top priority to defeat the legislation.

Misinformation about these bills echoed two themes. First, opponents said they would discriminate against teachers. Second, opponents claimed it would be impossible to reach an agreement when more than one teacher group negotiated with the district.

Ultimately, the campaign against MSTA’s plan created uncertainty for legislators, and the bill died in a Senate committee.

Here, in a nutshell, is what the labor unions did not want to understand about the bills.
MSTA-supported legislation would have:

  • allowed local districts to establish policies for meeting and negotiating with their teaching staffs.

  • provided for a strong and unified voice for all teachers and would have improved communications because every group could be involved.

  • allowed for freedom of choice when joining — or deciding not to join — a teacher organization.

  • allowed for clear penalties for strikes or lockouts.

  • prevented more lawsuits from being filed. Lawsuits will result in courts deciding many issues related to collective bargaining for teachers.


Bills proposed by the labor unions were not even given a hearing in a committee during the session. Their only hope for any claim to success was to make sure that these well-thought-out bills did not pass.

Each individual CTA and school district will now have to decide how to ensure it is in compliance with the Missouri Supreme Court ruling confirming collective-bargaining rights for teachers. MSTA will help our CTAs implement plans to ensure the needs of teachers are met.