MEA-MFT ELECTION 2012 Sept 2012 Vol 15 No 1

NewsletterToday for MEA-MFT Members in Public K-12 Schools, Higher Education, State & Local Government, Head Start, & Health Care

pMEA-MFT volunteers rock ‘This is about voting your JOB’ the phone banks in Helena, Missoula, hat would drive MEA-MFT mem- all 18,000 MEA-MFT members across Billings, Kalispell, & Great Falls, talking to fellow Wbers to give up a beautiful summer Montana, talking about how crucial the members about the 2012 election. Clockwise or fall evening to sit inside and make November election is. from top: Nicole Peterson, John George, Jennifer Kirby, Ashley Glover, Tom Glover, political phone calls? “We are mobilizing as never before,” Paul Northey, Mary Verploegen, Pat Rosenleaf, Carole Addis, a member in Missoula, said MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver. Marilyn Hamer, Jean Tutskey. put it succinctly: “If we don’t elect Steve “Never have the stakes been higher, Bullock (as governor) and Denise Juneau and never have the choices been starker. INSIDE: (as superintendent of public instruction), We’ve seen what happened in states like What’s at stake for you? 4 everything we’ve worked for will be down Wisconsin, Ohio, and Idaho, where ex- the drain.” tremists got elected in 2010. We’re not Candidate endorsements 5 Addis is one of dozens of volunteers letting that happen here in Montana.” Candidate comparisons 9 participating in a massive effort to reach (Continued on page 3) Good-bye, Jim ’ve lost family and friends before. Rode each what I don’t know.” Ievent out pretty much whole. Jim’s three cell phones buzzing at once, one But losing Jim McGarvey has been a hard ride, in his ear. maybe not yet over. Jim and his fat, beat-up book of multi-colored OUR POINT Jim was my friend. OF VIEW And I was his. Jim was a comrade in arms. Right now, losing Jim, I feel empty . . . somewhat the way I felt another raw moment 43 years ago on a godforsaken LZ hard by the Ho Chi Minh trail. A huge part of MEA-MFT has died. At first Jim and I warred against each other as MEA and MFT competed for members and af- BY ERIC FEAVER filiates . . . sometimes oblivious to MEA-MFT PRESIDENT the wreckage we left around and the outside, predatory, anti-union dangers our warfare invited. But once we figured out our Jim McGarvey and his wife, Suzanne, at his Montana State AFL-CIO Jim McGarvey passed respective union interests were retirement party in 2011. away suddenly August better served united than not, we 28. He was president built one hell of a union. note pages that he carried everywhere but rarely of the former Montana Then we warred together, joined at the hip in opened in my presence. Each color meant some- Federation of Teachers, common cause, for the best things good govern- thing to Jim. I don’t know what. vice president of ment exists to provide: public schools, public Jim forcefully calming troubled waters be- health and human services, public safety, mini- tween MEA-MFT and the governor’s office MEA-MFT, president mum wage, universal health care . . . and against setting the stage for successful legislation creating and then executive right-wing, libertarian, political evil that would state-funded quality educator payment, education secretary of the destroy the social compact, drown government in loan repayment, and full-time kindergarten. Montana State AFL-CIO, a bathtub, privatize public schools, sell out Social Jim and the iron-clad friendships he built, and a vice president Security and pensions, and prohibit workers from nurtured, and never forgot. of the American organizing to bargain collectively for competitive Jim and the implacable enemies he made, nur- Federation of Teachers. salaries and benefits — the stuff that makes the tured, and never forgot in the rough-edged world He will be greatly American middle class. of union organizing...because, well, because he missed. The war continues. It is a war, you know. was Jim . . . and he despised jealous competitors Now without Jim. who failed to grant or even acknowledge his And I have other memories: success. They gave it back in kind. Decoding Jim’s history lessons and instruc- Jim and Butte, the sacred city of his birth. tional stories. He was a book of infinite chapters, Jim, a Montana organizer, without peer. and he never began a story on the first page. Jim’s funeral was Monday, Labor Day, as it Fishing Jim out of truly dangerous rapids in should be. the Alberton Gorge. Goodbye, Jim. Jim painstakingly ordering dinner a la carte and Eric Feaver not eating most of it. P.S. Despite rumors to the contrary, I don’t Jim and his damned tea bags. believe Jim ever really fished with dynamite. n Jim calling whenever and demanding, “Tell me 2 MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org ‘Vote your job’ (from p. 1) MEA-MFT leaders, staff, and volunteers have MEA-MFT’s endorsed candidates. “Nearly a been working for a year to inform members thousand said they would volunteer,” said Minow. ELECTION about the issues in this year’s election. “Our members get it. They know this election is The phone calls are part of that effort. They about saving their jobs. It’s about their ability to began in June and will continue through Election provide for their families, the very existence of 2012 Day, November 6. Volunteers have been calling public education and public services in Montana.” and writing fellow members from phone banks in Meanwhile, MEA-MFT leaders and staff are Billings, Great Falls, Missoula, Helena, Kalispell, meeting with members around the state, talking ‘Our members get and Laurel. More phone banks are planned in about the election and showing the now-famous it. This election other towns. The calls focus especially on Steve “Not in Montana” presentation, which explains Bullock for governor and Denise Juneau for what happened in states where public employees is about saving superintendent of public instruction. lost collective bargaining rights. (See p. 4.) their jobs. It’s “These are the offices that have the most As MEA-MFT board member Mike Picking, direct impact on our members and their jobs, president of the Great Falls Education Associa- about their ability though every race is crucial,” explained MEA- tion, recently wrote to his local members, “I know to provide for MFT Political Director Terry Minow. some of you may have a hard time separating their families, the “Our volunteers are having a great time, your other political views from your professional and they’re making a huge difference. They’re views. I understand that, believe me, but this is very existence of finding that most other members appreciate about voting your JOB.” Picking’s advice: “Vote public education & hearing from them about the candidates.” your job, lobby your hobby.” public services in Volunteers are also recruiting more members Join the team! Want to help elect candidates to help elect candidates who support public who support you? Contact Terry Minow at MEA- Montana.’ education, public services, and employees’ rights: MFT: [email protected]. n

Super Volunteer JANE SHAWN 1st grade teacher uJane Shawn has cheerfully reported for phone bank duty at MEA- MFT’s Helena office more than a dozen times. For two hours, she talks to fellow MEA-MFT members about the importance of electing Steve Bullock as governor and Denise Juneau as superintendent of schools. She plans to keep volunteering until Election Day, November 6. “I think it’s important to do whatever I can to help get people elected who are going to support me in my job and support my community,” she says. “I’m really impressed with Denise’s Graduation Matters program and her Schools of Promise program. Steve Bullock and I are on the same side of the issues. We share the same values.” She adds, “It’s not just about my job security. I’m advocating for the kids I teach and their families. Teachers can’t do their jobs with crowded classrooms, without resources. Balancing the budget on the backs of public employees doesn’t make sense. We’re part of the economy. We shop locally, we put money back in the local economy. We pay taxes.” Thank you, Jane! You are making a difference.

MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org 3 Not in Montana! We’re not following Wisconsin & Idaho Workers have a right to stick together, so by $156 million. Similar atrocities happened in their employers take them seriously. It’s as many other states in 2011. fundamental as the right to free speech and And in Montana’s 2011 legislature, Tea Party religious freedom. legislators tried to follow suit, with bills aimed at But powerful interests, acting on a national destroying workers’ rights, ending public educa- level, want to destroy that right, especially for tion as we know it, and privatizing public services public employees. Why? It gets in their way. like the Montana Veterans Home. Take a look at Wisconsin: Scott Walker, “The only thing that saved Montana from What’s at stake with help from the billionaire right-wing Koch following Idaho and Wisconsin in 2011 was in Montana’s brothers, won election as governor in 2010 and having a governor who vetoed bad bills,” said November election: immediately set out to unravel Wisconsin’s public MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver. • Your job, salary, employee unions. “We’ve already seen similar bill draft proposals working conditions, & Without warning, the lives of thousands from the same Tea Party legislators for the 2013 benefits. of Wisconsin public employees and educators session. We have to elect a governor, superinten- • Funding for education changed overnight when Governor Walker pushed dent of public instruction, and legislators who and public services. a law through the legislature that destroyed 50 will fight for our members and the Montana • Collective bargaining: years of collective bargaining rights. people our members serve.” the right of workers to Due process, health insurance, and retirement Feaver continued, “Rick Hill has publicly stick together as a group. benefits disappeared. Thousands lost their jobs. embraced an agenda similar to Wisconsin’s • Privatization of public Others suffered huge pay cuts. Scott Walker. Sandy Welch says she shares Hill’s schools and other public Funding for public services was slashed. Class- agenda. We have to elect Steve Bullock and services. rooms grew so crowded that teachers had no room Denise Juneau. • Teacher tenure (the to walk up and down the aisle. “We can do it. Our 18,000 members and their right to due process Right next door to us, in Idaho, State Super- families can swing the course of this election.” before dismissal). intendent of Education Tom Luna pushed bills This issue of MEA-MFT Today shows which • State pay plan. through the 2011 Idaho legislature that rolled back candidates measure up. • Your pension: Will the collective bargaining rights of educators. Idaho NOTE: As we go to press, a Wisconsin judge Teachers Retirement now has no renewable contracts for teachers, no has just ruled that Governor Walker’s anti-union System & Public due process for salary reduction or assignment law violates the state and U.S. constitutions. This Employees Retirement changes, and no just cause for dismissal. Teacher follows a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin public System continue to exist? pay is now partly determined by student test employees’ unions. The Walker administration is It all depends on who scores. State funding for public schools was cut expected to appeal the ruling. n gets elected.

 MEA-MFT TODAY Super Volunteer Head Start MEA-MFT Today pub- JOE SPICHA, lished bimonthly September through May by MEA- Joe Spicha, super volunteer at the MFT. Third Class Nonprof- u Missoula phone bank, not only gave it Postage Paid at Billings, up many of his summer evenings to MT 59101. Permit No. 1 call fellow members about MEA-MFT’s MEA-MFT endorsed candidates, he showed up at the 1232 E. 6th Ave. phone bank with fresh tomatoes from his Helena, MT 59601 garden to share. 800.398.0826 He even shared his huckleberries ­— not Eric Feaver, President something most pickers are willing to do. , Exec. Dir. Erik Burke Talk about going the extra mile Sanna Porte, Editor for your fellow members. Thank you, Joe! www.mea-mft.org

4 MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org MEA-MFT’s endorsed candidates ELECTION for STATEWIDE OFFICE 2012 Steve Bullock for Governor Your fellow MEA- MFT members did the research. Here are the candidates for statewide office who will support you, your job & benefits, public teve Bullock’s priori- Steve Bullock & family: schools & public Sties are clear: strong Strong Montana values. public schools, strong services, your public services, a strong economy, and a strong to stop bad ideas like giving public dollars to collective bargaining middle class. private schools run by for-profit, out-of-state rights, & Montana’s Steve shares our values. He knows education corporations. He will fight to uphold the public is directly tied to economic development. He will retirement systems that provide security and middle class. fight for workers’ collective bargaining rights. dignity to our members at the end of their More statewide MEA-MFT is proud to make Steve’s election careers. endorsements on our top priority. He will continue Governor With Steve Bullock as governor, MEA-MFT Schweitzer’s legacy of working with MEA-MFT (Continued on p. 7) page 6. u

Denise Juneau for Superintendent of Public Instruction How endorsements are made: • Elected members of MEA-MFT’s Committee On Political Educa- tion (COPE) interview candidates, research vot- ing records, and study candidates’ position statements. • Local MEA-MFT mem- bers help by interview- enise Juneau is a ing local legislative Dproven champion candidates. for all Montana children. • COPE endorses candi- MEA-MFT is proud she dates who demonstrate clear and consistent is our friend, our fellow Denise Juneau: a champion for ALL Montana children! support for public edu- member, and a nationally recognized leader. Denise is a talented, articulate advocate for cation, public services, Denise is running for re-election as superin- quality education for all. She knows first-hand and employees’ rights. tendent of schools. She deserves another four that public education, from Head Start to k-12 • Endorsements are years to continue her good work, including her to the university system, gives our children the based solely on issues, Graduation Matters campaign, which has im- chance to make a good life for themselves. not on political party. proved Montana’s graduation rate. (Continued on p. 7) MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org 5 endorsed candidates ELECTION MEA-MFT’s 2012 for STATEWIDE OFFICE (Continued)

Jon Tester for U.S. Senate Jon Tester brings Montana values ing and support. He has been willing Don’t be a to the United States Senate. As the to stand up to the Obama adminis- down-ballot senate’s only farmer, he has a unique tration on federal policies that don’t dropout! perspective on protecting our state’s work for Montana, policies like No farms and ranches. Child Left Behind. There are many hot As a former teacher and school MEA-MFT enjoys a working rela- races at the top of board member from a small rural tionship with Jon that began during the November ballot. community on the Hi-line, he his years in the Montana Senate and But some of the most knows that Montana’s quality public that continues today. He takes our important races are schools and universities need fund- calls, and he deserves our votes. down the ballot. Every race is important! Every race affects you, your Kim Gillan for U.S. Congress family, and your job. Kim Gillan is a longtime friend training opportunities for Mon- Don’t stop of public education and public ser- tanans. at the top! vices. As a Montana legislator from As our congresswoman, Kim Gil- Billings, she worked with both Re- lan will protect Medicare and speak publicans and Democrats to make up for Montana’s working families. life better for Montana families. MEA-MFT is proud to recom- She got the insurance companies mend a candidate who will truly to cover autism and diabetes. She stand up for Montana in Washing- Voting successfully fought for better job ton. That candidate is Kim Gillan. by mail? for Watch for your ballot Pam Bucy Attorney General the week of October 8. Pam Bucy has dedicated her ca- ment officer, Pam will make safe For peace of mind, fill it reer to public service. She has been a neighborhoods her priority. out and send it right in! staunch advocate for public services She has extensive experience and public education in Montana. in prosecuting those who would Pam previously worked for harm our citizens, especially our former Attorney General Mike Mc- children. As Montana’s chief con- Grath, serving as his chief deputy. sumer advocate, Pam Bucy will She knows the ropes! prosecute those who would take As Montana’s top law enforce- advantage of Montanans.

Linda McCulloch for Secretary of State MEA-MFT member Linda Mc- state’s office, which licenses busi- Culloch deserves a second term as nesses in Montana, a model of fiscal Montana’s secretary of state. Linda responsibility and improved custom- has proven herself to be a champion er service. This has saved money for of fair, open, honest, and accurate business owners and taxpayers alike. elections. She has successfully fought Linda’s opponent, Brad Johnson, bills that would infringe on Montan- supports oppressive “voter ID” laws ans’ right to vote. that would make it harder for Mon- Linda has made the secretary of tanans to vote. 6 MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org Monica Lindeen for State Auditor The values we In her four years as state auditor, Monica’s opponent, , share as MEA-MFT Monica Lindeen has successfully is a Montana legislator who had a members: protected Montana securities and in- miserable 25% voting record in the • We want Montana surance consumers from fraud. She 2011 legislative session on public to be a state we can prosecuted the largest Ponzi scheme education, public services, and other be proud of: a state in Montana history, returning mil- issues that matter to MEA-MFT with educated citizens, lions to victims across the state. members. safe communities, and opportunities for all. Ed Sheehy for Montana Supreme Court Justice • Public education and public services The Montana Supreme Court is Ed has the breadth of experience make these possible. the court of last resort for Montana and knowledge of the law, legal pro- They help families, citizens to obtain justice. cedures, and the legal system needed communities, and Ed Sheehy is a talented, experi- in order to be a great justice. MEA- businesses thrive. enced, and ethical attorney with 34 MFT is proud to recommend Ed years of experience in Montana. Sheehy for Supreme Court justice. • Working people deserve a voice in their working conditions. • Public tax dollars for Montana Supreme Court Justice should go to public Montana law requires that state for re-election unopposed, and he services; not to private, supreme court justices who run needs our “yes” votes to be retained. for-profit ventures. unopposed for re-election be placed Brian has proven he has the These are the values on the ballot with the question of judicial temperament, talent, and we look for in our whether or not they be retained. legal knowledge to serve as a valued endorsed candidates. Justice Brian Morris is running member of the court.

Ballot measure recommendations The MEA-MFT COPE Board studied these I-166 establishes a state policy saying corporations measures, which will appear on Montana’s No- are not entitled to constitutional rights because vember ballot, and made the following recom- they are not human beings. mendations: NO on LR-121: Legislative Referendum 121 would basically force Montana state employ- ees to become immigration agents. LR-121 would Steve Bullock (from p. 5) “deny certain state services to illegal aliens.” State members will know they have a friend at the state and higher education staff would have to deter- capitol, a friend who believes in the work we do, mine a person’s status when that person applied work that matters. for state services. Determining citizenship has Learn more about Steve Bullock, and his op- always been the federal government’s job. LR-121 ponent, on page 9. shifts that burden to the state. YES on I-166: Stop unlimited corporate Denise Juneau (from p. 5) spending on campaigns. The U.S. Supreme Denise goes to the experts — teachers, stu- Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision ruled that dents, and parents — to get their ideas on how to corporations have the same rights as people, make Montana’s great public schools even better. and that unlimited corporate political spending Learn more about Denise Juneau, and her equates to constitutionally protected free speech. opponent, on page 10.

MEA-MFT Today • Sept 2012 • www.mea-mft.org 7 MEA-MFT’s endorsed candidates for

Bold = MEA-MFT Member HD = House District SD = Senate District

MONTANA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HD 74 Ryan Lynch Butte HD 3 Zac Perry Hungry Horse HD 75 Edie McClafferty Butte HD 4 Ed Lieser Whitefish HD 76 Amanda Curtis Butte Your vote HD 10 Alex Schaeffer Kalispell HD 77 Adam Lythgoe Clancy counts...if HD 12 Luke Walawander Ronan HD 79 Chuck Hunter Helena HD 15 Frosty Calf Boss Ribs Heart Butte HD 80 Kelsen Young Helena you use it. HD 16 Lea Whitford Cut Bank HD 81 Galen Hollenbaugh Helena We expect an HD 17 Mike Henning Fairfield HD 82 Jenny Eck Helena extremely high voter turnout for Montana’s HD 18 Colter McCarty Great Falls HD 84 Everett G. Sheets Deer Lodge 2012 November HD 19 Richard Liebert Great Falls HD 85 Gordon Pierson Jr Deer Lodge election. Every vote HD 20 Lindsay Love Great Falls HD 86 Kathy Swanson Anaconda will count. Montana HD 21 Jean Price Great Falls HD 88 Pam Erickson Hamilton has seen many races HD 22 Casey Schreiner Great Falls HD 91 Chuck Erickson Milltown won or lost by a HD 23 Carlie Boland Great Falls HD 92 Bryce Bennett Missoula handful of votes, HD 24 Tom Glover Great Falls HD 93 Doug Coffin Missoula especially legislative HD 25 Tom Jacobson Great Falls HD 94 Ellie Hill Missoula races. HD 26 Bob Mehlhoff Great Falls HD 95 Tom Steenberg Missoula HD 31 Bridget Smith Wolf Point HD 96 Carolyn Squires Missoula Are you registered HD 33 Brenda Skornogoski Havre HD 97 Nancy Wilson Missoula to vote? You can HD 34 Karen S. Sloan Havre HD 98 Jenifer Gursky Missoula register online at the secretary of state’s web HD 35 Floyd Hopstad Glasgow HD 99 Kimberly Dudik Missoula site: http://sos.mt.gov/ HD 38 Jim Hicks Glendive HD 100 Dave Andrews Missoula Elections/index.asp HD 40 Bill McChesney Miles City Or visit your county HD 44 Wallace Yovetich Billings MONTANA SENATE clerk’s office. Or contact HD 45 Carolee Hagstrom Roundup SD 2 David B. Fern Whitefish your local MEA-MFT HD 47 Dale Rumph Billings SD 6 Nancy Lindsey Polson president. HD 48 Rita Wells Billings SD 7 Mark Sheets Thomp. Falls HD 49 Mary McNally Billings SD 9 Ron Szabo Great Falls Do you know where to vote? HD 50 Deborah D. Willis Billings SD 10 Brad Hamlett Cascade If not, visit: HD 51 Kelly McCarthy Billings SD 17 Greg Jergeson Chinook http://sos.mt.gov/ HD 52 Virginia Court Billings SD 18 Julie E. French Scobey Elections/index.asp HD 53 Joseph Sands Billings SD 19 Fred Lake Sidney Click on “My voter HD 54 Margie MacDonald Billings SD 22 Jean Dahlman Forsyth page.” HD 55 Bob Winger Billings SD 24 Wanda Grinde Billings HD 58 Cole Olson Laurel SD 26 Robyn Driscoll Billings Election HD 59 Paul Beck Red Lodge SD 27 Gary Branae Billings HD 62 Reilly Neill Livingston SD 33 Mike Phillips Bozeman Day is HD 63 Franke Wilmer Bozeman SD 36 Richard Turner Dillon Tuesday HD 64 Tom Woods Bozeman SD 37 Jon C. Sesso Butte Nov. 6 HD 65 Kathleen Williams Bozeman SD 38 Butte HD 66 JP Pomnichowski Bozeman SD 41 Christine Kaufmann Helena HD 70 April Buonamici Bozeman SD 43 Gene Vuckovich Anaconda HD 72 Norma J. Duffy Dillon SD 46 Sue Malek Missoula HD 73 Pat Noonan Ramsay SD 47 Dick Barrett Missoula SD 50 Cliff Larsen Missoula 8 Candidates for GOVERNOR: the choice is crystal clear

STEVE BULLOCK RICK HILL

BACK- As Montana’s Attorney General since 2008, Steve Rick Hill is a lobbyist, ex-congressman, and former GROUND Bullock has: • Put more cops on the street to make insurance executive. He has spent his career advocating our children & communities safer. • Cracked down on for powerful special interests, helping Wall Street scam artists. • Led the national fight against unlimited weaken consumer protections, and helping health corporate spending on elections (“Citizens United”). insurance companies charge women more than men. Steve previously was a lawyer in private practice, representing businesses, individuals, & citizen groups.

• Steve Bullock and his wife attended Montana • Ex-Congressman Rick Hill would dismantle public PUBLIC public schools. So do their three young children. education as we know it. He supports taking money SCHOOLS • Steve passionately believes in public education. from public schools and giving it to private, for-profit • He will fight for adequate funding of education schools. (HR 2746, Roll Call 569, 11/4/97) on all levels, with incentives for public schools to • In Congress, he voted to cut $137 million from innovate and grow. Montana schools. (HR 2264, Roll Call 615, 11/7/97) • Steve respects Montana educators and supports • He insulted Montana teachers, calling them second teacher tenure, knowing teachers deserve the right worst in the nation. (Bitterroot Star 7/11/12) to due process before dismissal. • He would eliminate teacher tenure and move to a merit pay system. (Yellowstone GOP Women’s Forum, 11/12/11)

• Steve Bullock supports fixing the financial • Rick Hill has called for ending Montana’s existing TRS & YOUR solvency of Montana’s existing teachers and public PERS retirement systems by putting all new employees PENSION employees retirement systems (TRS and PERS). in a defined contribution system (much less stable for employees). He won’t say how he would fund the retirement costs of current employees. (KMMS radio, 4/13/12)

• Steve Bullock believes that state employees • Rick Hill said the average state employee is overpaid STATE deserve a raise after having their base pay frozen for by $8,000 per year. Instead of pay increases, he wants EMPLOYEE four years. He supports collective bargaining rights merit pay for state employees. (KMMS radio, 4/13/12) PAY PLAN for all Montana’s public employees.

• Steve’s jobs plan includes new incentives for • Rick Hill says we need to give more tax breaks to JOBS Montana-based small and medium-sized businesses out-of-state corporations, and eliminate regulations to create jobs; developing traditional resources like and oversight for development of coal, oil, and coal & gas and alternative energy sources like wind & natural gas. (NAIFA luncheon, 4/19/12) biofuels; and helping more students afford college.

• Steve led the fight to increase the minimum wage • Rick Hill voted against a minimum wage increase five MINIMUM in Montana, raising wages a dollar an hour for times in Congress. (4/9/00-HR 3846 Roll Call 42, 4/9/00-HR 3846 WAGE 20,000 of Montana’s lowest paid workers. Roll Call 43, 4/9/00-HR 3846 Roll Call 44, 4/9/00-HR 3846 Roll Call 45, 10/30/00- H Res 663, HR2614 Roll Call 582)

• Steve opposes so-called “right-to-work” union- • When asked if he would make Montana a “right-to- RIGHT-to- busting legislation. As governor, if such a bill ever work” state, Rick Hill answered, “Yes. What more do you WORK for made it to his desk, he would veto it. want?” (Ravalli Co. Pachyderm Meeting, 1/6/12) LESS Steve Bullock for Governor! Ex-Congressman Hill: Too extreme.

MEA-MFT Member-to-Member • 1232 E 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601 Candidates for SUPERINTENDENT of Public Instruction: a stark contrast

DENISE JUNEAU SANDY WELCH

BACK- GROUND • Denise Juneau grew up in Montana and attended • Sandy Welch was educated in California and Montana schools from Head Start through law school. previously taught in California’s Silicon Valley. • She is a third-generation Montana educator, • She served six years as a principal in Ronan and • Denise was elected as superintendent of public taught several months in the Flathead area. instruction in 2008 and has been an outstanding, • She worked for senate Republicans during Montana’s nationally acclaimed superintendent. 2011 legislative session. • She is running for re-election. • Currently she is self employed.

• Denise Juneau supports Montana’s class size • Sandy Welch doesn’t believe in limiting class sizes. CLASS SIZE requirements to keep class sizes down. • She says the state has no business telling schools • She knows teachers can’t give individual attention what the student-teacher ratio should be. (Speech to to students when classes are too big. GOP Convention 7/1612, Welch opinion in Billings Gazette, 7/20/12)

• Denise Juneau is passionately committed to • Sandy Welch supports private charter schools, which TAX $$ public education, the foundation of our democracy would take money from public schools. for PRIVATE and the root of our middle class. • She has sidestepped questions on vouchers and tuition SCHOOLS • Denise won’t let the next legislature give away tax credits for private schools, but aligns herself with public tax dollars to private, for-profit schools. Rick Hill on education issues. (MEA-MFT interview)

• Denise Juneau has tackled some of the toughest • Sandy Welch supports adopting Florida’s system of SCHOOL problems in our schools with innovative strategies grading schools from A to F, using standardized test IMPROVE- like Graduation Matters, Bully Free Montana, and scores. The system is like No Child Left Behind, except MENT Montana’s first-ever Student Advisory Council. schools get a letter grade. (Havre Daily News, 9/12/12) • Denise believes educators should be full partners in • She supports unproven charter school schemes as a any school improvement efforts. tool for school improvement. • She has stood up to the punitive federal mandates in the No Child Left Behind law and Race to the Top.

• Denise Juneau believes in high quality teacher • Sandy Welch would tie teacher evaluation to EVALUATION evaluation designed collaboratively with teachers. She students’ test scores, even though teachers have & TENURE won’t tie evaluation to test scores. no control over factors like students’ health issues, • She supports teacher tenure, preserving teachers’ poverty, or lack of parental involvement. right to due process before dismissal. • She wants to get rid of teacher tenure. (Speech to GOP Convention, 7/16/12, MT PBS Equal Time)

• Denise Juneau supports public employees and • Sandy Welch has been silent on the state pay plan. STATE PAY educators and respects the important work they do. PLAN & She supports their right to collectively bargain. BARGAINING • She supports a salary increase for state employees. Denise Juneau for Sandy Welch: wrong priorities State Superintendent! for Montana.

MEA-MFT Member-to-Member • 1232 E 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601 Super Volunteer MIKE HOFFMAN County employee uPhone bank volunteer Mike Hoffman All you have to do is look at what’s of- has devoted two evenings a week for fered by their opponents. It’s two very months to call fellow members about different paths. I consider myself a the elections. conservative. But I can’t endorse “We have to emphasize to our mem- what Rick Hill supports: cuts to bers the importance of electing pro- education, cuts to retirement, cuts to public service candidates,” he says. services. Let’s not go backward. I feel “Steve (Bullock) and Denise (Juneau) very passionately about that.” are willing to support public employees. Thank you, Mike!

Super Volunteer LOU ANN HANSEN Teacher & mom Lou Ann Hansen is an active member multiple phone bank shifts. Missoula situations. Mike’s unit lost 11 members u of the Missoula phone bank captain Heather Diehl reports since being deployed. Lou Ann recently Education Associa- that for her prize, Hansen chose a hat received a flag from Caleb’s entire unit tion and a super with an American flag on the back. along with a certificate of appreciation volunteer at the The hat has special significance to Han- for all she has done for them. The flag Missoula phone sen because she has two sons doing had flown over their base. Her commit- bank. tours of duty in Afghanistan. ment to others is far reaching beyond her MEA-MFT gives “Caleb is a drone pilot,” Diehl says, MEA-MFT family.” prizes to volun- “and Mike is airborne infantry; he jumps Thank you, Lou Ann! And huge thanks teers who work from planes into some very dangerous to all our volunteers statewide.

2012 MEA-MFT Educators' Conference October 18-19, Billings The annual MEA-MFT Educators’ Conference brings top-quality profes- sional development to Montana educators. No matter what your field, you’ll find dozens of workshops and keynotes designed just for you, to provide you with inspiration, information, and renewal units. Special conference events: all participants invited Thursday, October 18 • Montana Teacher of the Year Celebration 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., Billings Depot, 2310 Montana Ave • Visit with AFT President Randi Weingarten 2:00 - 2:50 p.m., Skyview High Choir Room • Candidate Conversation: Steve Bullock 3:00 - 3:50 p.m., Skyview High Choir Room (Rick Hill declined our invitation to speak.) Friday, October 19 • Candidate Conversation: Denise Juneau It’s all online: 1:00 - 1:50 p.m., Skyview High Choir Room You’ll find the conference program and all the info you • Candidate Conversation: Sandy Welch need at this web site: 2:00 - 2:50 p.m., Skyview High Choir Room mea-mft.org/educators_conference.aspx Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID 1232 E 6th Ave Permit No. 1 Helena, MT 59601 Billings, MT

school your funding salary

TRS & higher Montana’s fall election is for PERS education state privatization pay all the Head plan the Start middle funding class marbles. teacher tenure workers’ Vote carefully. rights

For MEA-MFT members, everything is We’ve seen what happened in states like at stake in the November election. Wisconsin & Idaho. We can’t let it happen here. • Our jobs & paychecks. It all depends on who gets elected. • Our ability to support our families. Your fellow MEA-MFT members did the • Our retirement pensions. research, interviewed the candidates, studied the • Our right to a voice in the workplace. voting records, and endorsed the candidates who will fight for you. Learn who they are inside. • The state pay plan. • The very existence of public education ELECTION VOTE and public services in Montana. • Montana’s middle class. 2012 NOV. 6