Volume 34, Issue 04 | Dec 17, 2019
WE WON THE VOTE! Now What?
 
As of the close of the voting window on Friday, December 13th, 3076 certificated employees voted for collaborative conferencing, and of that 90% voted for MNEA to represent them in renegotiating the MOU. No other group secured the 15% of votes needed to have a seat at the table. We are extremely grateful for all our members and building reps who walked the halls, made phone calls, and shared on social media until we got the job done.

NEXT STEPS
Join us at the January Representative Assembly on January 13th from 5-6 PM to meet our negotiating team and to vote on a finalized list of our goals for the MOU. Also, our Action Committee Chairs will be meeting from 6-7 PM to go over specific sections of the MOU and identify any additional changes. Any interested member is welcome to join.

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
MNEA has set up a survey monkey link for you to tell us your top priorities for renegotiating the MOU. Please take one minute to let us know your top 5 priorities!
Just a reminder...
$50 rebates for new members ends December 20th! If you know anyone still thinking about joining MNEA, be sure to let them know!
Next Representative Assembly
Monday, January 13th
On the agenda:
  • Nominations for MNEA spring elections
  • Meet the PECCA negotiating team
  • Vote on priorities for renegotiating MOU
  • Identify any additional suggestions for MOU revisions.

MNEA HOLIDAY HOURS
The MNEA office will be closed for the holidays from Decemeber 23rd through January 2nd. We will reopen at 9:00 AM on January 3rd.
Upcoming Events

  • January 6th, 5-7, MNEA Board Meeting
  • January 13th, 5-7     MNEA RA and Committee Meetings
  • January 16th, 5-6 PACE Meeting
  • January 21st-31st, ELA Instructional Materials on Display for Feedback in MNEA Assembly Hall
  • January 20th MLK Day Parade
  • January 27th, 5-7 Member Engagement: Retirement/Financial Planning with Horace Mann
  • February 3rd 5-7 MNEA RA and Committee Meetings
  • February 10th 5-7 MNEA Board Meeting
  • February 24th, 5-7 Member Engagement: Community Schools with Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
  • March 16th, 12-3 TEA Rally for our Schools at the State Capital
Letter from the President
Greetings Mighty MNEA,

I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for an incredible first semester. I am extremely proud of the work we have done this year including:
  • 21 of our endorsed candidates for metro government won their offices
  • 306 new members this year. 261 of those joined since July. We now have over 1800 members, a 20% increase from the beginning of the year!
  • Successful completion of a 54-school listening tour in 3 days that netted over 100 new members and over a 1000 one-on-one conversations and completed school needs surveys
  • Winning the collaborative conferencing vote and every seat at the negotiating table
  • Many new Association Representatives and the creation of AR teams in many schools
  • Making sure Mayor Cooper made good on his promise for an additional 3% raise in January
  • Re-establishing regular meetings of the Professional Council, bringing together MNEA's executive board, MNPS chiefs, and associate superintendents on a monthly basis to discuss district-wide issues
  • Active role in creating the 2020-21 calendar
  • Establishing that planning/records days should be solely used as self-selected planning time for teachers
  • Hosting 5 member-engagement events since August
  • Becoming a satellite distribution center for LP Pencil Box
  • Helping to found a city-wide coalition of labor and community groups to fight for a moral budget in 2020
  • Joining Workers Dignity to push for an end to wage theft for construction workers doing MNPS projects
  • As of the January 24th paycheck, educators and support staff will be earning 6% more than they were last January

These victories happened because YOU worked to make them happen. The strength of unions has ALWAYS been the collective power of the members. When we stand up and fight together, we win. Despite encountering many obstacles, we should remember 2019 as the year that Nashville's teachers decided to fight, and the year that we started winning. You are the proof that we will ALWAYS be greater than me.

Looking towards 2020, we were certainly have much more to do. We are gearing up to build organizer teams and set up FACs in every school in the district, as well as preparing for the budget fight so our students have the schools and professional educators they deserve. But for now, I hope that you are able to take some much-needed time to rest and relax with loved-ones over the holidays.

Happy Holidays to all,

Amanda Kail

MNEA President
2019 in Pictures 
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