The Hawaii State Teachers Association is melting down as it’s board of directors trumps up vague reasons to reject the results of its statewide elections. And there’s a rotten smell emanating from the meltdown.
A slate of activist teachers challenged the union’s current leadership this year, attempting to build on their success in rallying teachers for better wages and working conditions.
They won, by all accounts. But the union’s board has refused to certify the results and is attempting to replay the election.
It seems a pretty desperate strategy to avoid what the current leadership obviously views as a surprising and unwanted result.
But elections are like that sometimes.
Corey Rosenlee, who reportedly topped other candidates for president in the balloting, rejected the HSTA’s refusal to certify the election results.
According to Hawaii News Now:
He claimed the HSTA board rejected the results because they didn’t like that he and other dissidents won.
“There were no complaints about the election until after they saw the results. You should have integrity that if you want to complain about an election, you should say those complaints before you see the results,” said Rosenlee, who’s been on the union’s board for one year.
Lewis said the HSTA board was concerned because some teachers reported they didn’t get ballots on time. Some of them failed to get email links to vote electronically and others didn’t get paper ballots in time to vote, Lewis said.
She could not quantify how many teachers were disenfranchised. Approximately 3,300 teachers voted in this election, more than the number of teachers who voted in the last statewide union election in 2012.
And the same HNN story reported that more ballots were cast in this election than in the prior HSTA election.
Approximately 3,300 teachers voted in this election, more than the number of teachers who voted in the last statewide union election in 2012.
That certainly seems to undercut the leadership’s claim that “defects” in the election process prevented teachers from voting.
Are unsubstantiated claims of unspecified “missing” ballots a reason to reject the election results?
It certainly doesn’t appear so.
I spotted this campaign advertisement that the slate of Change candidates posted at the beginning of the election process.
It urged supporters to watch for mailed and emailed ballots, check email spam filters if they didn’t see their digital ballot, and to call the HSTA office if necessary.
Missing, misplaced, or previously ignored ballots and errant spam filters are facts of life, and the challengers urged supporters to proactively address any problems.
Rosenlee noted that votes were cast over a two week period by mail or electronically, and that there was a period for protest after balloting was closed. He said there were few complaints until the votes were counted and it was clear that the reform slate had swept the union’s top positions.
Thanks to progressive activist Bart Dame for his link to an article from Labor Notes (“Stolen Election? Reformers in Hawaii Fight to Take Office“), which explains some of the background of this election.
Dame has commented extensively via Facebook, noting that HSTA’s actions damage the public’s view of all organized labor.
HSTA has just done incredible damage, not only to THEIR reputation, but that of unions generally.
They are giving ammunition to the enemies of unions as much as if they made a contribution to the Right to Work organization.
As someone wrote int hte comments, the should plead temporary insanity, apologize and confirm the new, duly elected leadership.
The other unions should apply pressure, perhaps privately, but firmly to the leadership to give up. The threat should be that they will publicly criticize the theft of the election if the incumbent HSTA leadership does not go along peacefully.
Seriously, I am stunned. You run an election. If you lose, you recognize the will of the voters. What is wrong with these people?
I couldn’t say it any better.
