Workplace issues: ‘We wouldn’t have any of this’

Negotiating for salaries and salary steps. Negotiating planning periods so teachers “don’t have to work bell to bell.’’ Negotiating for sick days and personal days.

“All of those things came out of the 1968 rally,’’ said Georgia Smee, an elementary special education teacher in the Central Dauphin School District, Dauphin County “We wouldn’t have any of this if it wasn’t for that rally.’’

Smee, who has been co-president of the Central Dauphin EA for 10 years and is planning to retire this year after 35 years in the classroom, said she has always made it a point to talk to younger members about those who came before.

“I was once co-president with Connie Stackhouse, a teacher who attended the rally, and we used to show a video of that rally to new members,’’ Smee said. “Connie would talk about how empowered she felt that day. We’d talk to them about what teachers had to put up with before we could bargain.’’

As a veteran teacher and EA leader, Smee has plenty of examples to tell younger members. She particularly points to “just cause’’ provisions in the contract that have gotten back the jobs of teachers who were unjustly fired.

“There was a time when there was no just cause,’’ she said. “Thank God we have it now.’’

But Smee said it is important for younger members to understand the process of attaining such contract provisions.

“I discuss negotiations we have had and explain it’s a give-and-take process,’’ she said. “You have to give something to get something. The other side has to feel like they have gotten something too; otherwise you are going to end up with no contract.’’

To their credit, Smee said most of the younger members seem to embrace what they hear from veterans. She heads to retirement proud of the past and positive about the future.

“The younger leaders in our EA are very passionate about PSEA,’’ Smee said. “I feel good about leaving.’’