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Teachers union employees from at least 22 states are rallying behind the Indiana Professional Staff Organization, which recently filed unfair labor practice charges against the Indiana State Teachers Association over claims that members were retaliated against for engaging in union-related activities.

The , which represents 35 members who work for the statewide teachers union, its president, vice president and a regional director were put on administrative leave and threatened with termination early this year following its objection to a staff restructuring proposal. The organization filed unfair labor practice charges April 7 with the National Labor Relations Board, saying the association’s actions violate federal law.

In February, the 40,000-member , an affiliate of the National Education Association, proposed reassigning 24 staffers who provide support to local union chapters, according to a . The organization said it protested the change because the teachers association failed to include input from members and local union leaders.

鈥淭hese staff serve as front-line advocates for educators at the bargaining table and in grievance and representation matters,鈥� the organization said in a . 鈥淚STA鈥檚 proposal would have replaced these positions with on-call consultants responsible for roughly twice as many local associations.鈥�

Rick Scalf, the organization’s president, said he and Vice President Anita Vernon were put on paid administrative leave Feb. 23. A third union member was also placed on leave but has since returned to work. All three work as unified service directors, the job title slated for reassignment. They assist Indiana State Teachers Association union locals with questions about negotiations and procedures. 

The association didn鈥檛 respond to multiple requests for comment, but in an internal fact-finding report published in March, it claimed Scalf and Vernon violated its policy that prohibits unified service directors from getting 鈥渋nvolved in governance matters of local affiliates and the state association.鈥�

The claim stems from a January meeting between Scalf, Vernon and Sandra Vohs, president of the Fort Wayne Education Association, according to the report. Vohs met with Scalf and Vernon to review a bylaw proposal she was planning to introduce at the annual meeting of the state union’s representative assembly, which is scheduled for Saturday.

One of the proposed bylaws related to the association鈥檚 proposal to restructure its staff by reassigning unified service directors.

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have much reaction to the bylaws themselves, because she did a great job of drafting them 鈥� they were ready to go,鈥� Scalf told 蜜桃影视. 鈥淭he conversation really was more around making sure she understood the submission process.鈥�

The association said in its fact-finding report that Vohs should have asked the director assigned to her local union for help instead of Scalf and Vernon, who were in charge of other areas of the state. Vohs said in a written response that person was absent, so she asked Vernon to weigh in because their offices are next to each other. Vernon then asked if Scalf could join the discussion because of his experience with the association鈥檚 procedures.

鈥淚nitially, there was no apparent reason for the Fort Wayne president to meet with the [Professional Service Organization] president and vice president to discuss a bylaw amendment,鈥� the Indiana State Teachers Association wrote in the fact-finding report. 鈥淗owever, the explanation became much more obvious when evidence surfaced of the movement to build support for a proposed bylaw amendment that would inhibit ISTA management鈥檚 ability to structure the staff and give the Board of Directors the power to review any requests for addition or deletion of staff positions, as well as the power to approve or deny such requests.鈥�

The association鈥檚 report recommended firing Vernon and Scalf. Both have meetings with union officials scheduled for Monday, where they will have the opportunity to defend themselves. Scalf said the association has until five days after the meeting to announce whether they will be fired.

The Indiana Professional Staff Organization is under the umbrella of the , which represents 4,000 members across the country. Justin Zartman, the organization鈥檚 vice president, filed unfair labor practice charges against the Indiana State Teachers Association with the National Labor Relations Board on April 7. 

Zartman, who used to work for the labor relations board, said it will gather evidence from both sides before announcing a decision about the case. If it finds a violation, he said, it will issue a complaint that will either result in a settlement or be considered by an administrative law judge.

Zartman said he鈥檚 never seen union leaders be disciplined like this in the 20 years he has been involved with National Education Association affiliates. Scalf and Vernon didn鈥檛 violate the Indiana State Teachers Association鈥檚 policy, he said, because they were solely answering a union local鈥檚 question about procedures 鈥� something they do regularly.

鈥淭his is clearly because they want to get rid of a president and vice president because they have opposed their reorganization and how it impacts the staff, but they’re using this as the mechanism to do it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚’ve never seen a state go after a president or vice president like this. I have leaders from other NEA states asking me what鈥檚 going on.鈥�

National Staff Organization locals in at least 22 states, along with other national labor groups, have voiced their support in recent weeks by publishing denouncing the association鈥檚 actions. A rally is scheduled for Saturday in Noblesville, Indiana, for members to protest as the representative assembly meets. The Indiana State Teachers Association will also be discussing the staff restructuring at the meeting, Zartman said.

The National Staff Organization鈥檚 executive committee Wednesday that it will boycott the Indiana State Teachers Association by prohibiting its members from applying for vacant positions there.

鈥淲e cannot stand by while our union siblings face such injustice,鈥� President Brad Darjean said in a . 鈥淭hese sanctions are a necessary step to demonstrate that the broader labor movement is paying attention and we will act to defend our members. We are committed to supporting Indiana staff throughout this crisis.鈥�

Monday, Indiana’s Fremont Classroom Teachers Association asked the statewide union to reinstate Vernon, who served as its unified service director. The union local said her sudden departure has 鈥渓eft our leadership frustrated, confused and unsure where to turn for guidance.鈥�

鈥淗er leave has also caused us to question what support we are truly receiving from ISTA at this point and where our financial contributions are being utilized,鈥� the Fremont union wrote. 鈥淥ur UniServ director is a crucial part of our success as a teachers union. Without Anita鈥檚 guidance, Fremont CTA would not be where it is today.鈥�

Scalf said there鈥檚 no just cause for the state union’s actions, especially because the assistance he and Vernon provided in January is work the association has directed them to do in the past. 

鈥淭he ISTA members rely on staff to advise them on union activity and day-to-day business,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his creates a chilling effect on our ability to effectively advocate and represent those members.鈥�

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