By Crystal Hayduk
Chelsea School District (CSD) para professionals, food service workers, and the theater manager are working with the Michigan Education Association (MEA) to establish a bargaining unit, the Chelsea Educational Support Professionals.
During the opportunity for public input at the CSD Board of Education work session on Feb. 13, North Creek para professional Heather Hopkins read a statement on behalf of those who desire to form the union. Hopkins said, “On Feb. 3, representatives from Michigan Employment Relations Commission (MERC), the Michigan Education Association, and representatives from the CSD had a phone call to discuss the potential election to unionize the para professionals, food service workers, and the theater manager. There was no agreement to proceed to vote as a result of the CSD wanting to include other support staff … as part of the union formation request.”
Hopkins said that other groups had declined to join the union effort; therefore, the petition was formally submitted, and she requested that it proceed to an immediate vote.
Sarah Proegler, a para professional and the official spokesperson for the effort, said that Chelsea is the only school district in the county in which support staff do not have union representation. “We are looking to add structure and transparency to our positions,” she said. “The para professionals are also interested in having access to the legal backing of a union should the need arise.”
There are approximately 50 para professionals, 13 food service workers, and one theater manager.
Currently, two unions represent CSD employees: teachers belong to the Chelsea Education Association, and the transportation department belongs to the International Union of Operating Engineers.
Superintendent Julie Helber said that the district’s legal counsel and MERC recommend a “wall-to-wall” unit, one bargaining unit that would encompass all support staff.
In an email to district employees, Helber said that the district is “…working with support staff to determine their interest in forming a collective bargaining unit based on a request from the Michigan Education Association (MEA). While the original request identified only para educators, food service and the theater manager, the district does not want the potential for numerous, fractured bargaining units. Our position is that if we are to have an additional unit, it should be made up of all other support staff.”
Both the district and the support staff leadership have submitted position statements to the Administrative Law Judge to determine the scope of the potential bargaining unit. At press time, a decision had not yet been handed down.
Helber said that ultimately, a minimum of 30 percent of the persons in the unit must be interested in the union for the issue to be voted upon. Then a majority of eligible staff must vote in favor for unionization to be approved. If that occurs, “…a collective bargaining unit would be developed and contracts would be established.”
Employees can choose whether or not to become active members of the union. If a union is formed, the district will negotiate a contract that would be followed for all support staff.
Dan McCarthy of the MEA said that if both parties agree to proceed to an election, it typically takes from 45 to 60 days following petition to MERC. “However, the district proposed an alternative, so we don’t know how long it could take,” said McCarthy.
“The support professionals in the Chelsea School District have enjoyed tremendous support from the Chelsea Education Association and have been gratified to have that support,” he said.
