It's Official: AFT Takes Over Washington Teachers' Union

Featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence & Candidate for WTU Vice President

Well now it's been a little over one week since the American Federation of Teachers Executive Council held a hearing on the administratorship of the Washington Teachers' Union under the leadership of 'Hold Over' union president George Parker whose constitutional term ended June 30, 2010. George Parker refused to hold union elections this year as required by the WTU Constitution and failed to cooperate with the Elections Committee and now AFT President Randi Weingarten. As a result of Parker's refusal to hold elections, the AFT on September 17 issued a decision and order that they will take over the WTU. AFT has installed Al Squire, Southern Regional Director as the Administrator.

Never in the History of the WTU, has an administratorship been required for the purposes of conducting an election. The last time the AFT (WTU's parent organization) was forced to assume control of the WTU was in 2003 after former union president, Barbara Bullock stole five million dollars from WTU. Now that AFT has assumed control for a second time, expect that timely elections of union officers will soon be held. The September 17 decision and order from the AFT Executive Council reads as follows:

AFT's Conclusion

"In conclusion we find that the WTU members have a right to move forward as promptly as possible with an election for their WTU officers. Any further delay would be a violation of the members' rights that amounts to irreparable injury. Clear cut principles of union democracy and the members' rights to elect their leaders require AFT to step in. It is a positive development that WTU has recognized that the AFT should Run this election. However, under these circumstances, an AFT administratorship is the only remedy that will ensure that the WTU members are allowed to participate in a fair and democratic internal election."

AFT Order

1. Effective on this day (September 17, 2010) an administratorship for purposes of conducting the WTU internal elections shall be implemented.

2. Pursuant to Article VI, Section 15 (d) of the AFT Constitution, the Administrator under the direction of the AFT President or her designee, "will be authorized to ... take such actions as are necessary to protect the interests of the membership" in the conduct of the WTU internal election.

3. In light of the fact that the AFT and WTU constitutions, as well as federal labor law, have been violated by the delay in the conduct of the WTU's internal elections, the Administrator shall have the authority, where necessary to perform his election duties, to suspend the provisions of the WTU Constitution and Bylaws.

4. The WTU shall notify DCPS that AFT or its agents shall be provided access to the schools and the union bulletin boards for the purposes of carrying out the internal election. WTU shall also notify DCPS that AFT should be provided access to membership records.

5. The WTU shall provide AFT the necessary information and records in order to develop the voter eligibility lists, including the challenged ballot list for employees who are not on the current membership list but were on the June 30th list.

6. The WTU shall restore the pay and release time status of the General Vice President, Nathan Saunders forthwith.

7. Consistent with the provisions of the AF Constitution in Article VI, Section 15 (e) the administratorship shall be concluded with the internal election has been concluded and the officers installed.

After four months of waiting for union elections to be held, DC teachers and school personnel can finally look forward to voting for a new slate of officers. Our union elections are an important first step in removing 'hold-over' Union President George Parker so that we can get on with building and maintaining an active union and working on behalf of teachers, students and schools. We can do better. Vote Saunders/Peterson.