Chelsea School District to Proceed with Union Election

By Crystal Hayduk

In an effort to complete the vote regarding formation of a new Michigan Education Association (MEA) bargaining unit prior to the close of the current school year, the Chelsea School District has requested the Michigan Employee Relations Commission (MERC) to proceed with an election.

Although the original request included only paraprofessionals, food service workers, and the theater manager, the district had requested that all employees who are not currently represented to be included in the bargaining unit.

In order to proceed to an election, 30 percent of the 120 eligible employees in the potential wall-to-wall unit were required to sign cards expressing interest in the formation of a unit. “We exceeded that 30 percent easily,” said Sarah Proegler, the spokesperson who is a paraprofessional in the district.

Because three job classifications are in question, a hearing before the Administrative Law Judge had been scheduled for May 30. However, according to an email from Superintendent Julie Helber to the support staff dated May 9, “…a decision is not expected for some time after the close of the hearing. Therefore, the district felt it was important to complete the election prior to the end of the school year and made a request to do so to the MEA, which agreed.”

MERC will mail ballots to employees’ homes on May 19; ballots must be returned to MERC by mail no later than June 7. The count will take place in Detroit on June 8 and the results released to the district and the MEA.

Helber noted in her email that all members of the unit will receive a ballot whether or not they signed a card expressing interest, including members in the contested positions.

Ruthanne Okun, director of the Bureau of Employment Relations in Detroit, said, “A vote of 50 percent plus one is required for the union to prevail. If the union passes, the parties attempt to come to an agreement on the contested positions. If they can’t come to an agreement, either party can file a unit clarification petition.”

Okun said that because the election is moving forward, the May 30 hearing has been canceled.

In her email, Helber emphasized the importance of voting. “A majority of those who vote will be making the decision, so if you do not vote you will be letting others make a decision for you.”

Proegler said, “We are looking forward to being able to vote with the hopes of moving forward to unifying the support positions in the district. We are looking forward to adding structure and transparency to our positions and to added legal protection, should we need it.”