WTU Election Results
An Open Letter To WTU Members
Dear Washington Teachers' Union Members,
For years, we fought to make sure teacher voices were heard and due process rights were protected. Our actions were required when WTU “Holdover” President George Parker refused to act. Under his leadership, jobs were lost, unfair IMPACT evaluations were created and teachers suffered professional disrespect. Candi Peterson- a WTU Trustee board member and building representative - created blog-curhatanku.blogspot.com, a reputable DC education online voice for teachers and school personnel in 2008. She has been an intelligent teacher voice and foundation for numerous DC education stories. Nathan Saunders, WTU’s two term General Vice President- spoke expertly as the legitimate opposition voice on education reform efforts which hurt DC students, parents, and teachers. We accurately forecasted teacher/school personnel terminations, oppressive working conditions and performance based mutual consent. We provided facts, analysis, and solutions. We created rallies and demonstrations after Parker “sold out” WTU members. We worked alongside parents to challenge disproportionate school closings in Ward 5 and some of our poorer sections of the city. This current election, which is more than six months overdue, was forced by our court action e.g. Saunders et al. v. WTU. Visualize our mutual progress if you entrust your vote and WTU resources to us!
We do better because we know better. The WTU can be a voice for members and can negotiate a better contract and improve working conditions. Without a change in President, the current state of confusion, failure to hold union meetings, ineffective advocacy, and weakness will continue to endanger your job and positive working conditions that facilitate teaching and learning. With the current union president Parker - you have no voice.
Nathan is the only candidate for union President with world class training in how to be a successful teachers union President. He is a Harvard Law School- Harvard Trade Union Program graduate and earned a Masters degree in Law and Ethics from the National Labor College/University of Baltimore.
If you are wrongfully terminated, it will be too late. Elect a strong President with excellent credentials and experience supported by an effective executive board who support a participative union democracy. Remember, Nathan and Candi have been fighting for you all along! Vote Saunders Slate ! Check out our website @ www.votesaunders2010.com An X mark is all it takes. Place your ballots inside the secret ballot and then send it off in the mailer provided. If you still have not received a ballot call the American Arbitration today @ 800-273-0726.
Vote Saunders Slate Today!
Finally, There's Going To Be A WTU Election !
Your Vote Is Your Voice !
Vote Saunders/Peterson slate for WTU '2010
Knock Knock- Who's In Charge Of The Washington Teachers Union?
The WTU Constitution Says It Isn't George Parker
A lawsuit has been filed due to election tampering by George Parker, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) President. According to the WTU Constitution, Parker's elected term ended June 30, 2010 and the new slate should have been installed July 1. Parker's cronie, John Tatum reported to the Washington Examiner earlier last month that the WTU would not hold union elections until November. Now they are saying union elections will be held in September. It's hard to believe anything these two say. Read about the lawsuit (below) that has been filed to address Parker's elections meddling as well as his retaliatory actions to reduce Nathan Saunders, WTU General VP's salary to a big fat zero while he (Parker) continues to earn a hefty sum of $150,000 and perks. Go figure. Here's the latest as reported by the Washington City Paper news desk.
Lawsuit Filed As WTU Election Fiasco Gets Personal by Alex Burchfield
"Who, exactly, is in charge of Washington Teachers’ Union? Current president George Parker’s term ended Thursday—at least as far as the union’s constitution is concerned. On July 1, new officers were supposed to take office. But the elections that would have determined who started a new three-year term then were never held—and now WTU’s leadership is locked in a court fight over what happens next. Vice president Nathan Saunders and the chairwoman of WTU’s election committee, Claudette Carson, have sued Parker for thwarting the election process and illegally cutting off Saunders’ salary.
Oh, and as it happens, Saunders is also Parker’s chief opponent to take over the union.The dispute over when, and how, to hold this year’s elections goes back four months. Unlike the usual hubbub of union politicking, this election bears heavily on the implementation of the newly adopted teachers contract—which will raise salaries an average $20,000 and create a merit pay system. The constitution stipulates elections for senior officials are supposed to be conducted every three years on May 30. The union’s election committee, elected in the spring of each year and composed of 15 nominated union members, runs the whole thing. Usually, candidates for officer positions must submit a nominating petition with 20 signatures to the election committee by April 30.
But Parker failed to turn in his nominating petition by the deadline, claiming the election committee originally in place wasn’t legally constituted because it did not meet its 15-member quota; thus, he didn’t have to submit a petition (see City Paper’s previous article). Parker argued that the other 86 candidates who submitted their petitions on the deadline were “trying to run a scam on [the] election” by using invalid petitions.
“This is a throwback to the unions in the 30s and 40s,” Saunders told City Desk. “Parker is saying, ‘I didn’t bring my basketball to the court, so I’m taking everybody else’s basketball.’”But Parker says otherwise: “What we have is Nathan Saunders playing an old-school election with invalid petitions.”
After the American Federation of Teachers—WTU’s parent organization—was called in to oversee the election of the 15 members of the election committee, it seemed Parker had nothing more to gripe about. The AFT decided to designate all future election decisions to the newly elected and legally constituted election committee, and would play no further role in the process. Parker, though, didn’t like the new election committee. So he kept withholding his nominating petition and refused to hand over the documents necessary to hold an election.
The complaint filed by Saunders and Carson (as you might expect) paints Parker as willfully obstructionist. During a meeting with Saunders, vice presidential candidate and blogger Candi Peterson, and AFT president Randi Weingarten, the complaint says, Parker told Weingarten, “I didn’t file my petition.” Weingarten responded, “George, you didn’t file your petition? I am stunned! I thought I had three candidates here representing three different slates, and I only have two.”
“Parker has run 100 times, so he certainly knew what to do,” Peterson told City Desk. “But for whatever reason he didn’t release the documents.”
Among his opponents, frustration with Parker’s conduct grew. When Carson, chairwoman of the Election Committee, requested that Parker deliver nominating petitions, union dues reports and the union’s only membership list in order to begin elections, Parker refused again. According to the complaint, Parker ignored Carson’s requests four times. Because the new election committee is composed of Saunders supporters, Parker’s solution was to transfer duties normally left with the election committee to the Parker-friendly executive board. With the unanimous support of the executive board, Parker decided all further elections would be postponed until fall, and that it was now the executive board’s duty to set election deadlines and provide the necessary documents.
To Saunders, that’s not fair. “The executive board never plays a role in the elections because they are candidates,” he says. “The election committee and executive board are not to be intertwined.”
Parker’s team is now making it personal, taking aim at Saunders, his main opponent. The board recently voted to revoke Saunders’s salary and refuse him a leave of absence. Since Saunders isn’t a teacher in DCPS, his salary is tied to the WTU payroll. The goal, Saunders and his allies think, is to force him to drop out of the running.
But beyond the personal disputes between Saunders and Parker, the indefinite suspension of the voting process has left many of the 4,000 teachers represented by the WTU feeling disenfranchised.
In an email sent to Parker by WTU member and Roosevelt High School teacher Thomas O’Rourke, the anger reaches a boiling point: “Your cynical manipulation and trampling of union democracy and worker tradition is both sad and disgusting and is directly responsible for the continuing decline of this union,” writes O’Rourke. “Know that, given the great amount of power under this Constitution you have, you will likely ignore this email and go on about your way, but know this: I, and others will make it our business to let the entire membership know of your nefarious conduct, your lack of accountability or even shame, and your cynical lies.”
It remains to be seen how the lawsuit transpires, but no one is too pleased about it.
“It’s unfortunate that we have to take these steps to go to court,” said Peterson.
As far as Parker is concerned, though, he’s still running the show. At a D.C. Council hearing two weeks ago, he told Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. that his term didn’t end until his successor took office.“The term of office for all officers is three years,” Parker said. “Ok, so what?” said Thomas. “Or until there – wait a minute.” “Or until?” “Or until their successors are elected,” concluded Parker. When that will be is now up to the court."
Article courtesy Washington City Paper
WTU Elections Committee Elections- Vote Today At Logan !
Why AFT President Weingarten stole my elected union job!
By Claudette Carson, 2009 WTU Elections Committee Member
The DCPS/WTU tentative agreement and its benefactors soon considered us liabilities. We were not good enough to conduct a contract ratification vote, a special election, or maybe we were too honest? The result is that ratification ballots have been sent out without a verified membership list and with a membership status, with the AFT/WTU’s endorsement, which can be changed so that new members can vote up until ballot submission. $164 million tentative agreement makes new friends easily with union members and integrity being meaningless collateral damage. All the stops have been pulled out to guarantee this contract ratification. I am appalled at the radio commercials encouraging teachers to vote “Yes” for the contract with funds union members did not approve, selected teachers have been gifted time from teaching in order to sell the contract to other teachers during the school day, and first time voting by telephone and the internet.
The final nail in our coffin came as a result of a discovery. Another elections committee member and I deduced WTU President George Parker did not file any nominating petitions to run for President. I informed all parties involved at which point the AFT increased its efforts to disband the elections committee. AFT President Weingarten desires an elections committee to give George Parker the opportunity to file nominating petitions, irrespective of the WTU Constitution. The answer is not a hard one for me because I have a renewed sense of fair play and rights of the common man and woman. How President Weingarten took away my right to hold elected union office is a crime. She did not even follow her own constitution and is now bulldogging her way thru our local. She stole from teachers for George Parker’s benefit furthermore her actions are related to the tentative agreement ratification. This denigrates our union, profession and intelligence. I only desired to provide mutual aid, support and collective action to my fellow teachers- maybe that is not unionism.
I am Claudette Carson, a union member who has tried to participate in my union’s democratic process. I never have been a WTU insider but I have always voted for candidates that would represent me. I am running again for the elections committee which I rightfully won previously but for the efforts of special interests. I understand the issues and the relevance of representing union members. I know firsthand the impact of dollars on relationships and will not allow you to be hurt as I have been. We can beat the culprits at their own game by getting this message out and voting May 27, 2010 at Logan School between 4pm and 7pm.
1. Claudette Carson
2. Chandrai Jackson-Saunders
3. Marva Boatman
4. David Derricotte
5. Cheryl Gillette
6. Audrey Hudson
7. Harriet L. Kuhn
8. Linda Burnett
9. Geraldine Harris
10. Janis Carrington
11. Genell Penn
12. Darlene Nelson
13. Rosa Lee
14. Thomas O'Rourke
15. Laureen Smith-Butler