Active participation in the legislative process is admirable, but one must be mindful of their actions if they are taken without integrity and hurt the children that they have made a commitment to educating. We can all sympathize with these protesting educators who are trying to protect their family, their income and their benefits. This was surely the driving motive for those who participated in the sickouts.

 

However, we must also be aware of the teacher unions who were behind organizing the sickouts. Wisconsin educators have gone on record testifying that phone trees were activated by union representatives suggesting teachers call in sick. KEYTA would never ask or encourage our members to lie, especially if these actions hurt the students and crippled the operations of our education system.

 

Like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania is not a right-to-work state, and over the years the union’s membership has increased immensely as a result of their exclusive collective bargaining rights and forced unionism policies. After seeing all of the power and money these unions generate from their exclusivity, you can see why the Wisconsin unions are doing everything they can to continue the status quo. What they have failed to remember is that no power is more important than the education of a child. 

 

Under Governor Walker’s proposal, unions could still represent workers, but they could not force employees to pay dues and would have to hold annual votes to stay organized.   So we ask you, what is the real issue going on in Wisconsin? Are these union prompted protests and sickouts really about protecting wages and benefits for Wisconsin educators, or is it more about the teacher’s union ensuring their membership dues revenue?