‘The day we knew we had a union’

Local associations of educators did “negotiate’’ agreements with school districts before winning collective bargaining rights in 1970.

“It was collective begging,’’ said Marylou Stefanko, a veteran elementary teacher in the North Hills School District, Allegheny County, and a PSEA board member. “We’d meet with the school board every year and they were cordial, and it was without conflict. But we had no leverage.’’

But, to paraphrase Bob Dylan and a popular slogan of the 1960s, the times were a changing.

In addition to low-compensation packages that Stefanko said forced many teachers to work two jobs, female teachers who became pregnant lost their jobs, lunch periods were not guaranteed, and favoritism was rampant.

“We were professionals, but we weren’t part of the process and we weren’t being treated as professionals,’’ Stefanko said. “So, we had to change things. We had to act collectively.’’

Unrest was brewing, and she noted that administrators were starting to get behind teachers’ quest for better working conditions.

In fact, Stefanko credits a principal from Johnstown, Joseph Standa, who took over as PSEA president in 1968, as the driving force behind the March 1968 rally.

“He gave a stirring speech at a local leaders meeting at The Forum in Harrisburg,’’ she said. “He said, ‘go back to your districts and do something that is unprecedented. Get a day off and come to Harrisburg to protest.’’’

As history notes, 20,000 were able to make arrangements to take the day off. But as they boarded buses and crowded into cars to come to Harrisburg 50 years ago they had to endure taunts from some corners as being “communists.’’

Undaunted, they marched in what is still considered one of the most impressive rallies ever at the state Capitol. It was also one of the most effective.

Two years later, Act 195 gave educators the right to collective bargaining. Collective begging was replaced by real negotiations that not only produced better compensation packages, but improved working conditions. PACE, PSEA’s political action committee, was also formed during those times.

“We entered the big time that day,’’ Stefanko said. “We entered the political arena. That is where all the decisions are made.’’