Arizona public school educators union opposes resolution that restricts meeting activities

Members of the Arizona Education Association (AEA) are opposing a ballot referral that they say would restrict how educators can organize for better working conditions. AEA is the labor union for Arizona public school educators.

The resolution says that a school district may not use public money or resources to support the operations of a labor organization.

AEA President Marisol Garcia said the resolution would block educators from meeting in their own schools to discuss workplace issues.

“It will override existing agreements and contracts between school districts and employees and ban payroll deduction for union dues, while allowing it for things like insurance companies, retirement companies," Garcia said.

She said out-of-state lobbyists want to undermine public schools and put corporations in charge of community decisions about education.

“[Lawmakers should] think about how we can ensure that our children and grandchildren have better schools to go to," Garcia said. "They shouldn't be spending all their time catering to out of state, political organizations who are trying to take away any sort of power that Arizona teachers have here.”

The resolution is supported by the Freedom Foundation, a right-leaning think tank founded in Washington state. Jaimie Kleshock is the deputy director of labor relations for that organization. At a recent House Education Committee meeting, she spoke in favor of the resolution.

"This bill ensures that the time our teachers are spending in the classroom is dedicated to their students," Kleshock said. "It stops unions from interrupting valuable classroom and planning time to recruit members and engage in political activities."

The measure passed the House and will go to the Senate for committee consideration.