At issue is Scott’s demand that negotiations for teacher health care benefits be done on a statewide basis — the best way, he says, to maximize taxpayer savings from pending changes in health insurance due to the federal Affordable Care Act. Democrats have pushed back on Scott’s idea as an encroachment on the collective bargaining process between teachers and local school boards. House and Senate leaders have sought common ground with the governor, so far without success.
Johnson’s plan has not been made public, but its outline has been widely circulated. It would leave negotiations at the local level while establishing statewide parameters for health care bargaining.
This morning, the speaker shared copies of her proposal with leaders of the Vermont-National Education Association. Afterward, a coalition of labor unions, including VT-NEA, returned the favor by holding a press conference to denounce the plan as an unacceptable infringement on collective bargaining rights.
“Its conditioning of bargaining is an affront to local educators and local school boards, and sadly, is an anti-worker intrusion into the collective bargaining process,” said VT-NEA president Martha Allen. “As it stands now, we oppose the approach that would precondition bargaining on such an important topic.”
Allen trained much of her fire on Scott. She branded his proposal “anti-worker, anti-union and anti-local control,” and asserted that it “has very little to do with property tax savings.” She called it “the thin end of the wedge,” tying Scott to the right-to-work agendas of Republican governors in other states.
In her meeting with union leaders, Johnson defended her plan as the best way out of a difficult position. She referenced a recent House vote on the health care issue, in which Johnson herself had to cast the deciding vote.
“The reality is, we don’t have the votes to override a governor’s veto,” she told the union reps. “There are an awful lot of representatives who don’t understand what you do and the importance of bargaining rights.”
Having thus thrown unnamed members of her caucus under the bus, she went on: “I will continue to fight very hard, but we have to find a way through this.”
Rebecca Ramos, a lobbyist for multiple unions, countered with a call for Johnson to “lead on the value of collective bargaining — lead Democrats in protecting labor on this issue.” On each of the last three words, she smacked her hand on the table for emphasis.
Johnson invited those assembled to come up with “a better idea acceptable to all parties. ‘Just say no’ isn’t working.”
She closed with another call for acceptance, if not support.
“At some point, tomorrow or a month from now, we need to have something that everybody can say ‘yes’ to,” Johnson said. “It won’t be anybody’s first choice.”
The meeting ended politely, but with no sign of accord between House leadership and a core constituency of the Democratic Party.
Johnson and her leadership team adjourned to her office for a round of closed-door strategizing — and perhaps a little damage control.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
The VT NEA is a perfect example of why America has become so anti-union. They are unreasonable and without any empathy towards taxpayers. The union advocates for local control because local control works best for them. They always beat local school boards into submission, which is why school superintendents support Governor Scott.
The union has not provided one good reason to vote against this plan. None of their reasons come close to the critical need to control the rise of education costs and lower property taxes. If VT NEA doesn’t wake up and learn to stop asking for continual increases to educate fewer students, they will harm the cause of all unions. Taxpayers have had enough!
“VT-NEA President Martha Allen “trained much of her fire on Scott. She branded his proposal “anti-worker, anti-union and anti-local control,” and asserted that it “has very little to do with property tax savings.” She called it “the thin end of the wedge,” tying Scott to the right-to-work agendas of Republican governors in other states.”
Exactly! A few weeks before the close of the session–on any complicated matter–is a clear work-around democratic process. NOT acceptable here in Vermont.
“In her meeting with union leaders, Johnson defended her plan as the best way out of a difficult position. She referenced a recent House vote on the health care issue, in which Johnson herself had to cast the deciding vote.
“‘The reality is, we don’t have the votes to override a governor’s veto,’ she told the union reps. ‘There are an awful lot of representatives who don’t understand what you do and the importance of bargaining rights.'”
Time for the public to do some educating: Either we are a democracy–in the tradition of Vermont’s intention towards fairness and dialogue, trying to get public policy right–or we fall into a very negative pattern of political manipulation so pervasive with the GOP (and other political maneuvering).
This kind of political maneuvering is just not acceptable here in Vermont. Seeming like “a nice guy” just doesn’t cut it.
Pass the budget, and leave the long-term health care/ union issues for the next session.
This picture says it all – where the Speaker’s alliance lies.
Thank you Governor Scott for standing strong on this issue. Since your budget address in January you have been talking about this one time oppurtunity to capture these health insurance savings. The Legislature discarded your plan right out of the gates and never pursued the savings. The press failed to investigate the validity of the savings and instead wrote about a bold plan that was dead on arrival. The VT NEA sat quietly in the back ground with no response while negotiating for 100% employer paid healthcare and ridiculous salary increases with local school boards. Fortunately the school boards did not cave to the VT NEA. By sticking to your position, you have now gotten everyone to agree the $26 million savings is real, no small accomplishment in the world of tax and spend Montpelier. Please continue to stand strong and make sure we capture these savings. You have the upper hand in the negotiations and the power of the people behind you. Oh and by the way, thank you for setting the tone at the top for no new taxes and fees. A monumental legislative session! #MAKEVTMOREAFFORDABLE
VTNEA says the Governor’s plan is “…an unacceptable infringement on collective bargaining rights.”
We, the taxpayers of Vermont have rights too. Most of us never had the ability to strike to get what we wanted. Take away the ability to strike and I might have move sympathy for the VTNEA.
VSEA should have never endorsed her.