National Education board member concerned about union busting

Dear Editor:
As a member of the Board of Directors for the National Education Association, I have a unique vantage point within the educational community. Traveling across the state and nation, I've been hearing increasingly concerning stories about administrators’ subtle—and sometimes overt—attempts to undermine the union. We should have anticipated this trend following the erosion of Iowa’s collective bargaining rights in 2017; however, I never expected to witness it firsthand.
Many of my friends know I tend to have an optimistic outlook. During the 2017 negotiations, board members assured us that transitioning to a handbook would be as effective as maintaining contract language, given their commitment to establishing a labor management committee. Across Iowa, these committees sprang up, often with language stripped from Master Contracts. Districts received support from the Public Employees Relations Board (PERB), which sent highly respected trainers to facilitate this process. The message was clear: every committee member had an equal voice, and the goal was to foster a partnership aimed at achieving consensus. Educators at the labor management table approached this cautiously, hopeful that it would lead to a collaborative environment beneficial to both sides. Gradually, however, it became evident that many of these efforts were veiled attempts at union busting.
When unions are organized and mobilized, what do we see? Members rally around pro-public education candidates, attend and actively participate in school board meetings, and advocate for equitable wages and working conditions. They speak out for their marginalized students and colleagues, volunteer for school and community events, and take leadership roles. They remind administrators that our working conditions directly impact students’ learning environments. Unfortunately, this advocacy often comes with significant repercussions.
In the educational landscape, these consequences can manifest in various ways. Administrators may reassign influential leaders under the guise of prioritizing student needs, alter working hours, or offer higher wages to those who opt out of the union. Union leaders might be disinvited from crucial meetings, while new employees are discouraged from joining the union. Some school board members might even suggest nonunion members form their own union. Additionally, administrators may require union leaders to keep changes to handbooks confidential, assign unnecessary duties, reduce planning time, or eliminate duty-free lunches.
So, what do we do when these actions occur in our communities? We RUN! I urge anyone nearing retirement to consider how you can continue your advocacy for unions. I am proud to announce my plans to launch the "See Educators Run" campaign after my retirement. Who will join me?

Rachella Dravis,
Fort Madison