Teacher Rights Under Assault

In these uncertain times of budget constraints among various governing bodies, everyone is prone to see program cuts and that includes education. Many schools, aside from state governments, have already scaled back on their expenses.

Let me talk for a moment about state government. Aside from the aforementioned state cutbacks in education, another movement is taking root in various state capitals around the country. The movement is both troubling and it holds the sad prospect that union worker rights, including those of teachers, will be eroded or disappear altogether.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker wants to take away the collective bargaining rights of public employees and teachers. Talk about a return to 19th century labor practices!!

Taking away the right to collective bargain simply equates to an employee being given, paid or told to do whatever an employer sees fit to do. Let's be clear, collective bargaining isn't a nasty thing! It is a real opportunity for the employer and employee to sensibly look at a whole host of issues that relate to the overall effectiveness of a business enterprise or school district.

I realize there are some tough financial times are at hand but taking away the rights of workers to collective bargain won't necessarily ease those pains. In fact, taking away the right to bargain will more likely result in a far greater problem called employee job satisfaction. And I can assure you that a dissatisfied worker, in any job, is not a productive one.

Mr. Walker and other governors need not end teacher collective bargaining to solve financial problems; rather, they need to do more of it.

Dick Flesher