Montana Federation of Public Employees Publication for Members of MEA-MFT & MPEA December 2017 Vol 1 No 1

West Regional Special session Melissa Romano Merger calendar 8 Training 3 aftermath 4 Teacher of the Year 6

Montana Federation of Public Employees Publication for members of MEA-MFT & MPEA December 2017 Vol 1 No 1

constitution, MPEA and MEA-MFT (6) unite the legislative goals A new union member leaders will jointly dedicate and lobbying efforts of all public themselves to: employees; (1) seize the opportunity to (7) build a progressive, worker- for Montana rethink, restructure, and repurpose oriented footprint in every Montana BY QUINTON NYMAN what we do, with and for whom, and community; and AND ERIC FEAVER why; (8) send a message to and serve January 20, 2018, MEA-MFT and (2) defend, promote, enhance, as a model of membership organiz- MPEA member leaders will gather and grow the Montana labor ing and union density growth for our here in Helena and ratify a proposed movement; national afiliates NEA and AFT. constitution creating a new union, (3) establish beyond any doubt This is seminal stuff. Our the Montana Federation of Public who speaks for organized public own special creation as we face Employees. employees across Montana; an uncertain, raw-edged anti- A new union of state, county, and (4) share resources and funding (Continued on p. 2) municipal employees. A new union of those resources across a wider, of higher education faculty and larger array of members; classiied personnel. A new union of (5) establish and maintain quality, Merging! public school classiied, specialists, diverse professional development and teachers. and leadership training across all A new union dedicated to the membership categories; state of Montana and all its local communities. A new union with a long, distin- guished history, that irst took root in frontier Montana in 1882, seven years before statehood, and continued to thrive and realize signiicant union building events as in 1917, 1936, 1945, 1973-74, 1981, and 2000. So many to choose from. A new union that has grown over time to faithfully represent and pro- fessionally advocate for the best pos- sible public programs and services adequately and equitably provided through state and local government effort. January 20, directed by our MPEA & MEA-MFT members at the Helena regional meeting, one of 10 regional highest governing bodies to just meetings held across Montana this fall, learn about the proposed constitution for do it, and guided by our new our new merged union. 6-7, 2018, in Helena. The primary A new union business for this meeting will be for delegates to adopt dues and budget MERGER CALENDAR for Montana and elect a board of directors and (From p. 1) state oficers. See the full government, anti-public employee, Spring regional meetings: anti-union future. MEA-MFT and MPEA will hold more calendar So, if not already a delegate, get regional meetings around the state of merger on board. Come to Helena, Saturday, in February and March, 2018, so January 20, Great Northern Hotel. members have a chance to learn events Become part of the most conse- about the new union and the issues on page quential event in recent Montana up for discussion and vote at the labor history. April 6-7 annual meeting. 8 of this April 6-7, 2018: After delegates All members are encouraged for both MEA-MFT and MPEA vote to attend one of these meetings. newsletter. to adopt the proposed constitution Regional meeting dates and January 20, the new union will hold locations are listed on page 8, along its irst joint annual meeting April with the full merger calendar.

From left, standing: MPEA Executive Director Quint Nyman and MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver talk to members and answer questions during the fall regional meetings held around the state. Hundreds of members attended these meetings.

Members of the joint MEA-MFT/MPEA merger task force meet to hammer out details of the merger.

2 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 about the regional training? Contact Kate Treib: [email protected], 406.721.2928, or 800.398.0836.

You’re invited! Regional training • Feb. 9-10 • Missoula All MEA-MFT members and tors: Renewal units are available. Tax information for MPEA members are invited to attend Rave reviews: Here are some of MEA-MFT members the next regional training at the comments from past regional train- You can deduct your MEA-MFT Holiday Inn Downtown in Missoula, ing participants: dues from your taxes, but only if you Feb. 9-10, 2018. These regional “It has been so informative. It has itemize deductions, and only if your training sessions are fun, practical, ired me up to attend more. It has dues plus other miscellaneous de- and FREE to all members. also made me want to become more ductions add up to at least 2 percent The trainings provide members involved above our local level!” of your adjusted gross income. and member-leaders with individu- “It’s great to meet the staff so we NOTE: The portion of your MEA- alized, local learning opportunities can make connections and put faces MFT dues that goes toward our that build the capacity of our union with names. Great food. It was a fun legislative activity is not deductible. and help us achieve success for our evening and day.” For 2017, the deductible amount members. All travel, lodging, and Agenda and online registration at equals 93.5 percent of your MEA- meals are provided. But register bit.ly/Westregiontraining (case sen- MFT dues, all of your local dues, and soon; space will be limited. Educa- sitive) and mea-mft.org. Questions all of your national dues.

Merger task force members.

Above & below: merger task force members.

MT Federation of Public Employees Third Class Nonproit Postage Paid at Billings, MT 59101. Permit No. 88 1232 E. 6th Ave., Helena, MT 59601 800.398.0826 MPEA & MEA-MFT members at the Missoula regional meeting learn about the Cover banner photo: MacDonald Pass, Jason merger process. Savage

3 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 Special session: a perfect storm The Montana Legislature met in special session in November to deal with the state’s $227 million budget shortfall. It was a miserable three days that will have severe long-term impacts on MEA-MFT/MPEA members and the Montana people our members serve. Instead of inding a balanced approach to deal with the state’s shortfall, the legislative majority voted for $110 million (counting lost federal matching funds) in permanent cuts to state services and made it more dif- icult to restore funding for services if revenue rebounds. Sign outside the MEA-MFT ofice displays our message: don’t balance the Instead of ixing Montana’s tax budget on the backs of state employees and Montana people who need state structure to avoid revenue shortfalls services. MPEA and MEA-MFT members statewide put these signs in their yards. in the future, the majority chose to kick the can down the road, guaran- spirited and illegal “furlough” bill revenue estimates, ignoring the real teeing we’ll be ighting this budget that mandated some state employ- numbers that were coming in. When battle again. ees be furloughed for an uncertain those estimates proved wrong, MEA-MFT/MPEA leaders and staff amount of time. HB 08 passed both Montana was left with a gaping hole were at the state capitol throughout houses of the legislature. As expect- in our state budget. the special session, working to pro- ed, Governor Bullock vetoed the All this, together with the most tect our members, state services and bill a week after the special session expensive wildire season on record, jobs, and public education. concluded. created a perfect budget storm. In the “win” column, we helped stop some bad ideas, particularly HB How did we get here? The three-part compromise 08 (Barry Usher (R-Billings), a mean- Montana has a serious revenue Governor Steve Bullock went into problem. It goes back to more than the November special session with two decades of legislative decisions a plan to ix the $227 million budget that reduced taxes for the wealthi- shortfall with three equal measures: est Montanans while leaving regular 1) temporary cuts to some state taxpayers to shoulder a heavier load. services, 2) temporary increases in Sound familiar? some revenues, and 3) temporary According to the Montana Budget transfers from some state accounts and Policy Center, income tax cuts in into areas worst hit by the shortfall. the 2003 legislature alone have cost Painful as his plan was, given the the state about $1 billion over the cuts to services and state jobs, it was past decade. better than patching the budget Fast forward to the 2017 regu- hole through cuts alone. lar session of the legislature. The Two revenue proposals would Sign outside a hearing room during legislative majority passed a state have temporarily increased taxes on the special session says it all. budget based on unrealistically high rental cars and lodging (motels, etc).

4 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 These tax increases mostly affected MEA-MFT and MPEA members hundreds of members to call and out-of-state tourists. provide, including services for Mon- e-mail their legislators before the A third revenue bill passed that tana’s most vulnerable citizens — the special session, telling them to raise charges a temporary 3 percent elderly, folks with mental illness and revenue and not to balance the bud- management fee for Montana State disabilities, and children. get with more cuts to state employ- Fund assets over one billion dollars. “All so Republicans can say they ees, educators, and Montana’s most didn’t raise taxes,” said MEA-MFT vulnerable citizens. Others wrote The results member and state Senator Jill Co- letters to the editor talking about the The legislative majority killed all henour (D-East Helena). “But appar- severe impacts of cuts. revenue measures except the State ently it’s okay to harm children.” The outcome of the special ses- Fund bill, leaving no option but sion would have been far worse more cuts. The answer: raise revenue — without our members and other Worst of all, the majority need- and vote carefully! Montanans who raised their voices. lessly voted to make the cuts perma- The only way to climb out of nent instead of temporary. Montana’s budget hole is to raise Thank you, member-legislators “We’re in the minority. We revenue. We need to take a hard Our 14 members in the Montana couldn’t stop them,” said MEA-MFT look at our state’s tax structure and Legislature fought valiantly for the member and state Representative make sure out-of-state corporations, governor’s balanced approach dur- Mofie Funk (D-Helena). tourists, and our wealthiest citizens ing the special session, just as they The upshot: “We’ll start the next pay their fair share. have fought for public services, edu- legislative session trying to restore This will only happen if we elect cation, and public employees every funding to the baseline it would a majority of legislators who un- regular session. Our deep gratitude have been at if the majority hadn’t derstand that Montana can’t thrive to these members for standing up voted to make cuts permanent,” said without strong public programs for what’s right. We need more legis- MEA-MFT Exec. Director Erik Burke. and services. It matters who gets lators like these good folks! Meantime, we’ll see more state elected! The only way we will achieve jobs lost, more state employees better results in the legislature is to shouldering heavier workloads, and Thank you to our members elect a majority of legislators who fewer resources for crucial services MEA-MFT and MPEA mobilized share our values. Our member-legislators are listed below: Sen. Dick Barrett, Missoula Sen. Jill Cohenour, Helena, E. Helena Sen. Tom Facey, Missoula Sen. Edie McClafferty, Butte, Boulder, Clancy Sen. Mary McNally, Billings Rep. Jacob Bachmeier, Missoula (Rep. Bachmeier joined MEA-MFT student program during the special session. Bachmeier is currently enrolled at MSU Northern) Rep. Willis Curdy, Missoula Rep. Amanda Curtis, Butte Rep. John Fleming, Ronan, Arlee Rep. Mofie Funk, Helena Still smiling despite 17-hour days, MEA-MFT’s lobby team, along with member Rep. Jean Price, Great Falls and legislator Amanda Curtis (D-Butte), pause for a photo during the special Rep. Marilyn Ryan, Missoula session. From left: Diane Fladmo, Eric Feaver, Morgan Smith, Marco Ferro, Amanda Curtis, and Lauren Caldwell. Not pictured: Quint Nyman, Erik Burke, Rep. Casey Schreiner, Great Falls and Don Jones. Rep. Tom Woods, Bozeman

5 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 Melissa Romano confers with fourth-grade math partners.

TEACHING PERSEVERANCE Saving Sid is all about teaching perseverance and teamwork, 2018 Montana Teacher of the Year Melissa Romano Romano explains. “I start the year Marias McDowell didn’t start chosen this year for the BetterLes- building relationships with each fourth grade as a big fan of math. son website, where she creates math student but also trying to build their “Nooooo!” she says emphatically. lessons to share with thousands of math perseverance. Perseverance is A few months in Melissa teachers nationwide. a big topic in my classroom.” Romano’s classroom changed her Romano has worked as a master Students work in teams of four to mind. “She makes math really easy teacher in science and math and rescue Sid, who is “trapped” under a and fun,” McDowell says. “And currently serves as an instructional “boat” (a clear cup) with a Lifesaver reading. She actually, like, tells you coach for teachers nationwide. candy perched on top of the cup. the deep details.” While Romano excels at teaching Armed with paperclips, the team Romano, who teaches fourth all subjects, math is her passion. has to get the lifesaver around Sid grade at Four Georgians School in “She LOVES math,” says McDowell. and get Sid on top of the cup, touch- Helena, was selected as Montana’s “Mrs. Romano brought out a ing nothing but the paperclips. 2018 Teacher of the Year this fall. ierce love for math and inspired my “They igure out they have to work It’s the latest in a list of accolades daughter to continue to push her- together, otherwise it’s nearly impos- Romano has earned in her 15 years self,” says parent Maureen Boyle. sible to save Sid,” Romano says. of teaching. She received a Presi- “She does fun games to learn “It’s about learning to work with dential Award for Excellence in Math math,” says student Max Christensen. a partner and a team. I tell students, and Science Teaching in 2012. She “We solve story problems like saving ‘We’ll depend on our learning part- is one of 130 teachers nationwide Sid the gummy worm.” ners and groups all year.’”

6 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 Two weeks before Thanksgiving tant for them to see their teacher School in Divide; and Judy Vincent, inds Romano’s students engaged in wanting to learn.” irst-grade teacher at Shields Val- spirited discussions with their math As the 2018 Montana Teacher ley School in Wilsall. All three were partners about how to calculate the of the Year, Romano will serve as an honored at a celebration October cost of groceries for a turkey dinner. ambassador for public education 19 in Missoula, held in conjunction Why partners? “It’s really impor- and represent Montana in the Na- with the annual MEA-MFT Educators’ tant that fourth graders, and students tional Teacher of the Year program. Conference. in general, learn to communicate Finalists in this year’s Teacher of Congratulations to all three excel- their math thinking in word prob- the Year program include Romano, lent teachers, all of whom are MEA- lems,” Romano explains. Judy Boyle, k-8 teacher at Divide MFT members. “Kids come to fourth grade kind of lost about real-world math and scared of word problems.” Having a partner and pal helps them overcome the fear, Romano says. “They bounce ideas off each other and listen to each other think through how to solve the problem.” Student Nora Dwyer explains that once the partners solve the problem, “we’ll make a video of the answer and send it by computer to our pen pals” (fourth graders in another local school). “The point is to talk about math thinking and hear how other fourth graders are iguring out the assign- ment,” Romano explains. “It makes them aware of their From left: inalist Judy Vincent, Teacher of the Year Melissa Romano, and inalist community and schools in this Judy Boyle all were honored at the Teacher of the Year celebration. community. Math is bigger than this classroom.” Going beyond the classroom is key to Romano’s teaching. She aims to bring the whole world to her students through ield trips and hands- on experiences. Technology tools like Google Earth and ProjectExplorer allow her to connect a wide range of subjects: U.S. and world history, literature, music, language arts, social studies, science, and of course, math. “I’ve been kind of a dive-right-in- and-ask-questions-later person when it comes to technology,” Romano says. “As teachers, we need to be willing to say to our students, ‘I don’t exactly know how to do this, but I know how to igure it out.’ It’s impor- Romano’s students learn to communicate their math thinking.

7 | MT Federation of Public Employees | Dec 2017 Montana Federation Nonproit Org. U.S. Postage of Public Employees PAID 1232 East Sixth Avenue Permit No. 88 Helena, MT 59601 Billings, MT

Merging!

MERGER CALENDAR JANUARY 20, 2018 Special MEA-MFT Representative Assembly & MPEA Annual Meeting • Helena Delegates at their respective special meetings will consider and vote on the proposed constitution.

FEBRUARY & MARCH, 2018 Regional Meetings • all MEA-MFT & MPEA members invited Kalispell Tuesday Feb. 27 6:00 p.m. Kalispell Labor Temple Missoula Wednesday Feb. 28 5:30 p.m. UM – UC Theatre Bozeman Monday March 5 6:00 p.m. Bozeman Library Helena Wednesday March 7 5:30 p.m. Helena College Great Falls Saturday March 10 10:30 a.m. Great Falls Education Assoc. Havre Tuesday March 13 6:00 p.m. MSU-Northern SUB Wolf Point Wednesday March 14 6:00 p.m. Sherman Inn Billings Thursday March 15 6:30 p.m. Billings Education Assoc. Miles City Saturday March 17 5:30 p.m. Rib & Chop House (tentative) Butte Tuesday March 20 6:00 p.m. Carpenters Union Hall APRIL 6-7, 2018 First Joint Annual Meeting • Helena Delegates will adopt dues and budget and elect a board of directors and state oficers for our new merged union.

More about the uniication of MPEA and MEA-MFT and what it means to you inside this newsletter and at mea-mft.org!