KIPP Columbus staff votes to unionize with 'strong majority' of 67% to 33%, union says
Teachers and staff at the KIPP Columbus charter schools voted to unionize on Friday, officially joining the Ohio Federation of Teachers.
In a press release, organizers said a "strong majority" of 67% to 33% of educators voted in favor of the proposal in a secret ballot administered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The union will represent about 130 teachers, social workers, paraprofessionals, intervention specialists and student life coordinators from KIPP's primary, elementary, middle and high school as the KIPP Columbus Alliance for Charter Teachers and Staff (KIPP Columbus ACTS).
The four KIPP schools serve about 2,000 students at a campus on the city's Northeast Side.
"We are beyond thrilled that our staff came together and voted to form a union," KIPP Middle School intervention specialist Stephanie Holiday, said. "We will now be able to address high turnover, large class sizes, unsustainable coverage practices and equitable treatment for our amazing staff members. All of this will lead to a healthier workplace environment and better outcomes for our students."
The vote came after more than six months of back-and-forth discussions and legal maneuvering between the school system and educators, who had filed a petition with support from 78% of eligible employees to unionize in November.
KIPP schools officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Lengthy process to achieve vote
After staff filed their petition, KIPP Columbus hired the Vorys legal firm, which filed a legal challenge with the NLRB, delaying a secret-ballot union election. In December, KIPP Columbus charter schools administration declined to voluntarily recognize the union.
The NLRB later rejected KIPP's complaint, which argued staff should not be eligible to organize under the federal agency’s jurisdiction. Attorneys for the charter school argued that because the school receives state funding, it should be considered a public-sector employer and fall under the jurisdiction of Ohio's State Employment Relations Board (SERB). However, the labor relations board decided KIPP employees were private employees for unionization purposes and that the election should be held.
Friday's vote came after the NLRB denied KIPP Columbus' objections to a unionization drive by teachers and other staff last month, which ultimately paved the way for the vote.
"Whether colleagues voted yes or no for this union, I am more than confident that we can all continue positive conversations to make changes we all want to see in collaboration with KIPP administration," social worker Jenean Stokes said.
Organizers previously described "union-busting" tactics
Labor organizers at KIPP have said the school engaged in unfair labor practices, and the OFT has filed several complaints against KIPP alleging school officials engaged in a 'union-busting campaign' by bringing in anti-union consultants and eliminating positions.
More: KIPP Columbus engaging in 'union-busting persuasion campaign,' union says
School administration has previously said they were offering employees information about "what it could mean to join a union and what the collective bargaining process entails."
In a press release Friday, organizers acknowledged that many of the administration's tactics were "technically legal" but others crossed a line, resulting in the union filing four unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB. Organizers said two of those charges have been determined by the NLRB to have merit and the other two still await rulings.
What comes next?
Organizers said the next steps for the union will be to begin negotiations with administration on a fair contract.
They said an informal survey showed top priorities for staff members were a lack of substitute teachers, class sizes, staff turnover and not having a protected planning period with teachers having to do other work instead of preparing lessons, activities or exams.
The school administration was not immediately available for comment on Friday afternoon.
KIPP Columbus began in 2008 as KIPP Journey Academy with 50 students at a former Columbus City Schools building in Linden and has since expanded to its present 150-acre campus at 2900 Inspire Drive on the city's Northeast Side. That campus houses the KIPP Columbus Elementary, KIPP Columbus Primary, KIPP Columbus Middle, KIPP Columbus High, the KIPP Columbus Battelle Environmental Center, the KIPP Columbus Early Learning Center, and the KIPP Athletics & Wellness Complex.
KIPP's unionization vote makes it the 13th charter school in the OFT, joining schools in the Cleveland area.
Dispatch reporrter Bethany Bruner contributed to this report.
cbehrens@dispatch.com
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: KIPP Columbus staff votes to unionize with 'strong majority'
