Do

Identify the part(s) of our plan you were able to implement (given the nature of leadership work, your project may actually continue beyond submission of your Capstone Portfolio).

Analyzing the full effectiveness of my Capstone project is difficult because it is an ongoing project. There were some successes, though in the year and potential for more growth and opportunities moving forward. The participation in the Negotiation Committee, Negotiation Team, Election Committee and participation in WPOP were achieved. The specific support within the BEA with regards to action steps in delegating responsibilities through committees is ongoing.

How successful was your action plan at addressing the challenge?

First, we were able to negotiate and ratify a contract with only one round of consensus bargaining that included a bigger salary increase than anticipated as well as an increase in insurance contributions for certified staff with an acceptance rate of 94% (see Artifact #9). The negotiations team will have to come back together as the salary matrix could only be negotiated for one year due to the significant impact of pending legislation. This was a big win. While the new contract terms required the downsizing of 30 fulltime positions, the majority of those positions were covered by retirements and resignations, resulting in only a small handful of impacted staff members truly losing their jobs.

Second, the Election Committee on which I participated (see Artifact #10) was able to confirm members stepping up to run for the open President and Vice President positions after an additional request for nominations was made (see Artifact #11). The nominees ran unopposed, and were elected with approximately 90% of the members voting "yes" to both of them (see Artifact #12). There will likely need to be some ongoing communication around the purpose and responsibilities of our BEA to increase membership engagement and willingness to step into service positions such as BEA leadership. As both of them are new, supporting service sponsorship may also be a necessary step both internally with formal local leadership and externally with state support staff.

Which stakeholders and association practice or program were impacted? How do you know (site evidence)?

With regards to the restructuring of the BEA to be a more inclusive and effective organization, that process is ongoing. Positive and trusting relationships have been built with members (see Artifacts #13 through 16) Conversations are being bridged with incoming leadership, and resources to increase awareness around Building Representation have been shared. I was able to participate in the recent Worker Power and Organization Program from the Montana Federation of Public Employees which provided some additional insight, skills, and state resources to begin the work of improving our local union's structure (see Artifact #17). This includes the identification of several committees. 

What obstacles, if any, did you encounter? How did you address them?

The first is an Election Committee that isn't just referenced in the local Constitution, it is not structurally defined to prevent another election where it is an appointed committee of one. The lack of clarity around an election committee contributed to a lack of information about open positions and a very messy election process. The purpose and parameters of an Election Committee still need to be outlined and accepted by the BEA.

Second, the  formation of a Communication/Public Outreach committee needs to be discussed. The focus of it could be to streamline communication around important union-related issues to the local members. This particular committee could also address our message to the community at large including board members, parents, legislators, etc.  In these unprecedented times, it is important that members are kept up to date on quickly changing terms across multiple levels that may impact their ability to effectively do their jobs. Additionally, there is power in solidarity to stand against harmful or unjust initiatives. Building an  honest and supportive communication committee could also improve information sharing and relationships with additional stakeholders. The support of our community is critical.

Finally, developing a Labor Management Committee to facilitate the communication between teachers and administrators could be beneficial. This committee could help direct the issues with members that are unrelated to negotiations to a more appropriate team to support them in finding solutions. There are some problems that are legitimate for educators, but are not contractual in nature. Union leadership and/or building representatives are there to support members when there is a potential contract violation and are not necessarily the people needed to intervene when there is a problematic relationship impacting an educator effectively doing their job. Having an alternative resource to support working through some of the very real interpersonal challenges that happen in the school setting can improve member morale and make the support of the union more tangible and transformative.

Given the outcomes, describe any changes you might make to the Capstone Project's action plan.

Knowing what I know now, I probably would have some additional proactive outreach with Building Representatives earlier. I also would have made an effort to complete empathy interviews with one current member of our association as well as a non-member and/or former member. Moving forward, this may be an action step to support any changes to the functions and structure of our organization. 

Artifact #9 - Contract Ratification Voting Results Artifact #10 - BEA Elections folder being shared

Artifact #11 - Email update regarding more nominations needed Artifact #12 - Officer Election Results

Artifact #13 - Email requesting interpersonal feedback Artifact #14 - Text w/colleague post debrief

Artifact #15 - Text request for feedback Artifact #16 - Text re: WPOP and nominations Artifact #17 - WPOP Slide Show, first slide only