While the "Volunteer" state is not a bastion of liberal support or union density, a real crisis is evolving in the Tennessee Legislature. Both houses have passed legislation that would destroy collective bargaining rights for teachers. Not surprisingly, GOP assailants are also advancing a bill that will prevent public sector unions from collecting dues from employee paychecks, a move that will starve union resources till their power is permanently disabled.
Tennessee slowly transitioned to a "Red-State" over the past few decades and Al Gore mistakenly took his home-state for granted in the presidential race of 2000 (Kerry and Obama refused to set foot there in 04 and 08)
Public Employees have no collective bargaining rights and a host of anti-union laws prevent national unions like AFSCME and SEIU from making significant inroads in Tennessee. Little attention is coming from the national media concerning these teacher's struggle and labor's plan to win is unclear.
The Tennessee Teachers are finding little support from The Tennessee State Employees Association, a group who claims to represent the interest of state employees while taking prides on being a non-union alternative to employee participation. Executive Director Robert A. O'connell of the TSEA stated on a local news program that his organization is not even interested in collective bargaining rights or the right to strike. In a recent newsletter, O'connel discourages solidarity with the teachers
"Whether or not we sympathize with the teachers in this matter, the outcome will not affect state employees and it is not our fight"
Public sector unions are currently faced with a calculated nationwide attack in numerous states and it makes since to focus valuable resources on defending battleground states with high union density. Yet we must overcome an urge to concede defeat in many already conservative regions, public employees from across the nation must show a strong and united front in ALL states if they are to be victorious.
Wisconsin, Ohio, and Indiana are monumental struggles for the working and middle classes of America. But we cannot write off "Red-States" who are equally deserving of the benefits of collective bargaining. Those who diligently and selflessly teach children throughout my home-state deserve better.