 |
||||||||||||
|
Frequently Asked Questions“What do you care what we pay our staff?” We don’t other than to show those that don’t like the tactics and policies of their union just what exactly they’re paying for them. Also, it’s interesting for teachers to see what their staff is being paid versus what they’re earning. And as former MEA secretary-treasurer candidate Jerry Swartz (president of the Lansing Education Association) has pointed out, compulsory dues have gone up 35% in the past 6 years. “Why do you hate unions?” We don't--voluntary organizations dedicated to improving professionalism, accountability, and quality are good things. We’re simply making the case that the MEA blocks reforms that will spend money more efficiently and increase education quality for the sole reason that it impacts their bottom line and their clout. We’re providing the facts to those that object to the tactics their union employs so those teachers can demand change. The union, incidentally, they’re required to support as a condition of employment. “What can I do about this?” If you’re a member of the MEA and no longer want to be, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy developed simple instructions to request a refund. Click here. If you’re a taxpayer, you can look into how your school board is spending their resources and ask the tough questions. "Did you post billboards in my community?" Yes, billboards were recently posted in the Gladstone community to paint a fuller picture of the school board's situation there. The union has been using particularly over-the-top tactics there and we found our research there especially interesting. Some of that research is posted on the billboards and some photos are below.
To get a better understanding of the PR campaign, watch this video. In Southfield, we posted a billboard after the Uniserv director filed petition language to have 4 "offending" school board members recalled. See the Elections & Recalls page for more information.
In Grand Rapids, we asked citizens to ponder who they wanted in charge of their school district: taxpayers or union bosses.
|
||
