Successful Meeting! 
On Monday, June 16, over 800 teachers, paraprofessionals, school nurses, and other Northshore educators attended a joint meeting of their unions and professional organizations at Inglemoor High School.
Both Associations are in negotiations with the District administration for new collective bargaining agreements. The current agreements expire on August 31, just before the school year begins.
This was the first joint membership meeting in the history of the two organizations. The Northshore Education Association (NSEA), representing Northshore’s 1200 teachers, and the Northshore Educational Support Professionals Association (NESPA), representing Northshore’s 500 other employees who work directly with students, have much in common.
NSEA Executive Board and Bargaining Team
Both Associations are in negotiations with the District administration for new collective bargaining agreements. The current agreements expire on August 31, just before the school year begins.
This was the first joint membership meeting in the history of the two organizations. The Northshore Education Association (NSEA), representing Northshore’s 1200 teachers, and the Northshore Educational Support Professionals Association (NESPA), representing Northshore’s 500 other employees who work directly with students, have much in common.
NSEA Executive Board and Bargaining Team
NESPA Executive Board and Bargaining Team
“We work together with the students everyday, and our issues are similar and intertwined,” said Tim Brittell, a former Northshore teacher and mentor, and President of NSEA. “It’s time we began to work together.”
The educators heard updates on the status of negotiations, and made plans to support their Associations in August, when negotiations will continue.
“We’re still far apart on many issues,” said Deb Murphy, the School Nurse at Woodin Elementary who is President of NESPA. “We are looking forward to working with our new superintendent, and are hopeful that we’ll make more bargaining progress this summer.”
Members are addressed by NSEA President Tim Brittell and
NESPA Co-President Deb Murphy
The educators voted unanimously to pass a motion supporting their negotiating teams’ efforts to secure agreements, “that further professional respect.” The motion directs each Association’s leadership to, “make all necessary preparations to achieve such an agreement, “ and commits the membership, “to participate in the activities that support our Bargaining Team and Association until we have reached an agreement in these negotiations.”
Louise Ervin, a School Assistant at Woodin Elementary who is a NESPA Board member stated: “If we want our District to continue to be great….if we want professional respect so we can continue to keep this District great, we’re going to have to continue to be there for each other and for our Association in August.”
The educators voted unanimously to pass a motion supporting their negotiating teams’ efforts to secure agreements, “that further professional respect.” The motion directs each Association’s leadership to, “make all necessary preparations to achieve such an agreement, “ and commits the membership, “to participate in the activities that support our Bargaining Team and Association until we have reached an agreement in these negotiations.”
Louise Ervin, a School Assistant at Woodin Elementary who is a NESPA Board member stated: “If we want our District to continue to be great….if we want professional respect so we can continue to keep this District great, we’re going to have to continue to be there for each other and for our Association in August.”
More great photos are available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsea
