School Board Hears Pros, Cons of Fees

A proposal to allow United Teachers-Los Angeles to collect service fees from non-union teachers drew praise and criticism during a public hearing Thursday before the Los Angeles Board of Education.

The school board is considering a proposal that directs Supt. Leonard Britton to open discussions with the teachers’ union on a requirement that all credentialed employees either join the union or pay a fee equal to 90% of member dues. The proposal also calls for a secret ballot election in which all teachers may vote on whether to require the fees.

“If the union truly represents the employees, then the employees represented should pay the cost of representation,” said Robert Matano, a teacher at 10th Street Elementary School. “What could be fairer?”

But speakers opposed to the fees said that they should not be forced to support a union they disagree with. John Morris, a Hobart Boulevard School teacher who said he was verbally threatened by union teachers because he chose not to participate in the nine-day strike last May, said he objected to the fees because they would “require me to support people . . . who threatened my safety.”

The union bargains on behalf of all 32,000 district employees with teaching credentials--chiefly teachers, librarians and counselors--although only 23,000 are union members. The non-member fees would amount to $369 a year.

The board will cast a final vote on the proposal on Sept. 11.