Professional Educators of Tennessee

It has been more than four years since The Kamber Group issued its report on NEA's external communications entitled "An Institution At Risk." The study concluded that NEA did not have a credible voice in the education reform debate, and that if the union were to survive it would have to revamp its image.

In November 1998, the Kentucky Education Association approved a reorganization of the union based on the findings of an internal report written by 18 KEA officers that concluded: "The handwriting is on the wall, and we cannot ignore the overwhelming evidence that KEA is at risk as an organization." The committee reported few members had contact with the union.   "The current perception of KEA is that we are an organization far removed from the rank-and-file membership," the committee found. "Some perceive that a few elite, power-hungry leaders and management personnel sit in Frankfort in ivory towers making all the decisions. We are seen as uncaring toward the real problems of real teachers in real classrooms. Leaders and staff alike are seen as self-serving, disrespectful to one another, jealous, and sometimes resentful of one another."

As reported by EIA last month, retiring Ohio Education Association Executive Director Robert Barkley issued his personal warning in December while delivering his farewell speech. "However, one thing I am sure of is that we are not truly listening to all of our members," Barkley said. "All the Association feedback we have to review - both nationally and in Ohio, supports this conclusion. In particular, we are not listening to our newer and younger members. It's time for me to be more specific. I know that all my suggestions are not perfect. They are my best thinking today. What would we really do differently if we really did listen to our members? First, we would very rarely, if ever again, give a cent to a politician or a political party."

The newest passenger on the Straight Talk Express is new Wyoming Education Association Executive Director, Jean Hayek. Hayek was hired after completing her term as WEA president. She addressed the WEA Delegate Assembly in Casper on April 7 and told the delegates of the need for the union to change its culture to fit the needs of the new members. "If there's to be an NEA in the future, fundamental changes have to take place," she said.

Hayek then described common characteristics of Generation X and teachers new to the profession, including, "They have faith in American institutions -- except for government and unions." When describing their views on education issues, Hayek, Wyoming-style, warned the delegates to "take a deep seat and a short rein, `cause this one's gonna buck!" She then went on to tell them that new members "approve of innovative compensation systems that encourage and reinforce their strengths and skills; merit pay is not anathema to them;" they believe that "testing teachers is okay;" and they believe that "qualifications and ability are more important than seniority."

But Hayek didn't stop there. "As to their view of unions, it's not very flattering," she said, listing their beliefs.  They don't see them as relevant to their daily work life.  They see them as divisive and only concerned with insignificant issues; they can't tell their union is working for them.  They view unions as being about protecting teachers, but not in the best interest of children.  They see unions as beneficial only when you are in trouble.  And they see them as being about collective negative action."

Hayek explained to the delegates that if the union did not account for the different perceptions of the new generation of teachers, member recruitment would suffer and the NEA would be irreparably harmed. "If we don't harken to this clarion call and dramatically change our culture, we will indeed slowly starve to death while looking in the same old places for our cheese."