Las Vegas Sun: Teamsters vs. teachers union
They used words like “crisis,” “confront,” and “throwing down the gauntlet.” The enemy was described as ineffectual and weak.
And so the battle lines were drawn, and Teamsters Local 14 launched its offensive last week on the Clark County Education Association.
“The Teamsters have never walked away from a fight – we’re about to get into a big one,” said Gary Mauger, chief executive of Local 14, at a news conference announcing the union’s plans.
At stake is the right to represent the 18,000 teachers working in the Clark County School District. Between now and November 2008, when Teamsters plan to file a formal challenge to the teachers union, the two organizations will engage in a struggle that promises to turn on substance as well as style.
Early story line: The Teamsters are a union with muscle that believes the teachers’ representation has not been aggressive enough in challenging a state unwilling to appropriately fund public education. Any teacher not satisfied with the status quo should consider a change.
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