It’s a strike vote. So why aren’t teachers voting? | The Education Report

It’s a strike vote. So why aren’t teachers voting? | The Education Report

It’s a strike vote. So why aren’t teachers voting?

By Katy Murphy
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010 at 11:25 pm in OEA, teachers, union contract.

The vast majority of those who participated in tonight’s union election authorized a strike.

But the vast majority of Oakland teachers didn’t vote at all. The turnout was less than half of what it was in May, the first time this year OEA members authorized a strike. (This vote was to affirm the last one.) Only 341 union members cast ballots tonight, compared to 755 in May. That’s well under 15 percent of the union’s membership.

Even among those who did come to the membership meeting, said union President Betty Olson-Jones, “The sentiment for a strike at this time is very, very weak.”