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Preserving
Member-Run Unionism
Teachers, Nurses
Affiliate Independent
Union with UE
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Teachers
and nurses at the School for Blind Children voted 54-3 to affiliate with
UE. "UE offered us an alternative to the top-down management we
experienced with a prior national union, " explained Norm Yeargers,
President. |
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – By a vote of 54 to 3, the members of the
Professional Staff Association voted to affiliate with UE on September 14, 2001.
The PSA had been formed 3 years earlier when the teachers and nurses at the
Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children left another union to form their
own independent union.
"Although we had accomplished a lot on our own, we felt
that it was time for us to affiliate with UE, a national union. They have the
resources to assist us, however, we will be able to keep our autonomy,"
explained Norm Yeargers, President of the PSA.
The PSA had been in negotiations since May and were working
without a contract at the time of the vote. Since then, with UE’s help they
were able to resolve the contractual issues, getting raises of 16% - 19% over 3
years as well as upgrading the dental coverage, short term disability,
retirement benefits, seniority language and an agency shop agreement.
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