Martin County teachers have a better choice for union representation

STUART, FL — Teachers in the Martin County School District who have been frustrated by a lack of support and representation from their union will soon have the chance to choose a stronger, independent union, made up of teachers and committed to focusing solely on local needs.

Last  month, the United Teachers of Martin County (UTMC) filed to appear on the ballot in a representation election as an independent alternative to the Martin County Education Association (MCEA), which reported less than 60% membership this year.

“It’s  really important that teachers have a better choice right now,” said  UTMC president Heather Lundstrom, an intensive reading teacher at Murray Middle School. “MCEA can’t even manage to get our contracts finalized on time, let alone advocate for our needs or support our work to educate students. That’s unacceptable and it’s time for a change.”

With  the school year now well underway, teachers in Martin County still don’t have a contract. They never received one for the previous year either. According to Lundstrom, “MCEA refused to sign a contract for us because they wanted the district to pay their president a teacher salary without him actually setting foot in a classroom. The district rightfully said no but MCEA wouldn’t budge. They put us all at risk over that. MCEA doesn’t represent teachers, they represent themselves.”

In addition to promising teachers a new contract before the start each new school year, UTMC says they are committed to hiring a lawyer to ensure the strongest possible contract for Martin County teachers, negotiating for better healthcare and other benefits, and providing better liability insurance, all while lowering monthly dues, which will help teachers keep more of their hard-earned paychecks.

“We need a union that focuses on teachers so we can focus on teaching,”  said Jackie Kenna, a social studies teacher at Martin County High School who supports UTMC. “That’s what teachers and our students deserve.”

Plummeting membership is not the only crisis facing MCEA. Earlier this month, union president Matt Theobald sent an email to Martin County teachers resigning the presidency following remarks he made on social media disparaging conservative activist Charlie Kirk and referring to conservative students in the district as “Hitler Youth,” which resulted in his suspension and possible termination.

Theobald’s comments were made following a directive from Florida's Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas warning he would investigate “every educator” who engages in “vile, sanctionable behavior,” adding that First Amendment rights “do not extend without limit into their  professional duties.” His suspension was unanimously upheld by the Martin County School Board at an October 7 meeting, raising questions  about member support for the union’s leadership.

A representation election has not yet been scheduled but is anticipated in the coming months.

About United Teachers of Martin County

United Teachers of Martin County is an independent union seeking to represent teachers in the Martin County School District. They are committed to securing fair wages, benefits, and working conditions in order to empower teachers to create the best educational outcomes for their students. Learn more at UnitedTeachersMC.com.