An important reminder from Part-Time Representative to the EA board, Paul Jordan: One of our part-time faculty members has shared a bitter memory from some years ago when she felt that her union had essentially abandoned her. Someone with fewer preference points had been given a class that she herself had wanted to teach, and this seemed like a violation of the contract. When asked if she’d complained at the time to the union, our member replied that she hadn't because her union rep at the time was the same person who’d received preferential treatment. This was deeply unfortunate, because no member has only one union representative. And that’s by design. Each of us is represented by multiple individuals who can and should be informed about any possible violation of our contract rights. We have a representative of the division in which we teach, as well as at-large representatives, a grievance officer, a union president. In fact, any EA member in good standing can contact any member of the local union board. If these multiple contacts were, for some reason, to ignore the complaint or question, then there are multiple layers to MEA—district, zone, state—and finally, NEA at the national level. Belonging to a union means you never have to struggle alone with a problem with the administration. But—you do have to let your union know what’s going on, and know that “your union” isn’t just one level of contact.
