About Unions!

I often say that I was born with a union spoon in my mouth. My father was a locomotive engineer and local union leader at the KC Terminal in Kansas City, Missouri. I grew up listening to discussions at the dinner table about issues that were affecting his “buddies” and their jobs at the terminal. I remember his friends coming over in the evenings and discussing how they needed to advocate for their finances, health and general well being. When they decided to go on strike, it was a big deal. And if I heard it once, I heard it a hundred times not to cross a picket line! I was 4 years old at the time and had no idea what that meant, but I can still hear his voice telling us at the dinner table.....”Never—and I mean NEVER—cross a picket line!” My father taught us to care about everyone and help those who need help using the power of organized labor.

My union leadership experience

I carried my strong union upbringing with me into my career. I am a retired educator, having worked for 37 years in the Hazelwood School District. Throughout my career and now as a retiree, I have been an active member and leader in Hazelwood NEA and Missouri NEA, including representing my local and state associations at national-level meetings, conferences, and training opportunities. I served as a building rep, committee member, delegate to state and national conventions, and as a member of the Executive Board. From 2017 until my retirement in 2023, I served as full-time release President of Hazelwood NEA, which meant I was out of the classroom and solely working with and on behalf of HNEA’s members. I helped negotiate successful contracts and salary schedules, worked with district leadership to ensure our contracts were honored, advocated for high-quality working conditions for school employees (resulting in high-quality learning conditions for our students), and represented my members in meetings with administrators. I emphasized collaboration, integrity, and fairness, not only in our overall contract but in our day-to-day work and interactions. 

During that time, I also served on the Executive Board of the North County Labor Club. I worked with other union leaders and members to amplify the labor movement in the St. Louis area, promote and protect workers’ rights, support pro-labor elected officials, weigh in on proposed legislation affecting labor and workers, and support both working people and vulnerable community members.

With NEA President Becky Pringle

Unions and their members have built the middle class and helped fight for things that benefit us ALL--things like a 40-hour week, weekends, health insurance, workers' compensation, paid holidays and vacations, sick leave, parental leave, and so much more. In addition, unions have fought for safety regulations to protect workers on the job, and they have fought against child labor, something some Missouri legislators seem to want to bring back. I am a strong supporter of workers' rights, including fair, professional wages and benefits and workplace protections. I also firmly believe that all workers have the right to organize, form a union, and bargain collectively for salaries, benefits, and working conditions. 

I am in firm opposition to “Right to Work” (RTW) laws. While Missouri voters overturned the Missouri General Assembly’s Right to Work law in 2018 by a two-to-one margin, that hasn’t stopped legislators, corporations, and lobbyists from trying to bring a RTW law back to Missouri in almost every year since. As we have seen in other states, RTW laws have negative impacts on workers, communities, and unions. These laws often result in lower wages and reduced access to health and retirement benefits–for both union AND non-union workers. They enable corporations and executives to have more power and keep a larger percentage of the money. Without a union presence, job sites may have lower safety standards, particularly if higher-ups want to cut corners to save money. This may lead to more accidents and injuries on the job. “Right to Work” laws won’t help Missouri workers.

I am a proud member of the Missouri National Education Association, and I'm honored to have received their recommendation several months back. I have also been endorsed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, North County Labor Club, and the Missouri-Kansas Laborers District Council, and I have received support from many labor union locals in and around St. Louis and Missouri.