SDEA employees picket in Pierre

By Andrea J. Cook, Journal Staff Writer | Friday, October 27, 2006

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For about 25 minutes Thursday, the state’s largest union — the South Dakota Education Association — was picketed by a handful of its own employees.

Members of the Professional Staff Organization of South Dakota are at odds with the union over several contract issues.

The employees work as UniServ directors out of offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Aberdeen, Watertown and Sioux Falls, and provide union representation for union members, assisting with contract negotiations and employee issues.

Michael Brubaker of Rapid City is the chief negotiator for the professional staff. Brubaker said the union’s final offer is unacceptable citing disagreements about mileage, supervision and evaluation of staff and salary.

“The professional staff has been reduced from 10 to six over the past three years,” Brubaker said. The remaining staff members have voluntarily taken on extra work without recognition or compensation, he said.

Donna DeKraai, president of SDEA, said employees were offered a “very, generous three-year contract.

“Due to respect for our employees, we do not wish to discuss the individual issues,” DeKraai said.

The union has made its final offer that includes salary increases, according to Robert Whitehead, the union’s executive director.

Whitehead said that as a labor organization, SDEA respects employees’ right to express their differences with the union publicly.

“We respect our employees who disagree with us. Hopefully, this will be resolved,” he said.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com