Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/94843
educational forces: the more aggressive teacher, the more democratic administrator, the more open school system, the more affluent econo- my, the more activist society." Bargaining in Arizona Though Arizona was a right-to-work state, and still is, this did not stop AEA from working with local associations and their school boards to develop professional agreements and gain bargaining rights. AEA held Professional Negotiation confer- ences and produced statewide salary reports annually to provide local associations with the information and resources needed to success- fully negotiate professional agreements with their school boards. AEA field representatives worked with local associations on bargaining skills training and contract language. In 1968, AEA scored a first for Arizona – the Phoenix Union High School District Classroom Teachers Association successfully negotiated the first teacher contract in the state. "This contract was the most comprehensive in that an entire spectrum of professional items is placed on the negotiating table and is approached as a package, with no final agreement on any one item until all items have been agreed to." Tom Shaffer, AEA field representative Arizona Teacher November 1968 "Teachers will accept what they believe cannot be changed, but the instant they discover that change is possible, they can become militant overnight." Hal Henson, AEA assistant executive secretary Arizona Teacher November 1968 These negotiated agreements were written staff relations policy statements called profes- sional negotiations that spelled out provisions under which teachers, administrators, and board members would meet and confer on sala- ries and welfare, curriculum, and other profes- sional matters, including school calendars, pupil discipline, grading, conditions of work, and discipline. Some of these agreements only allowed teachers to be part of district committees that made recommendations to the board; however, even this was a change from past practice. With the realization that they could finally have a voice in not only the education policies impact- ing the way they teach, but also in fair working conditions such as salary and benefits, teachers grew more confident in their power to effect change. This resulted in an explosion of new local associations being formed across the state. AEA became recognized as the premiere bargaining agent for professional educators and even today is still seen as the most effective voice for quality public education in Arizona. 2 AEA Advocate x Winter 2012/13 15 NEA Negotiation Specialist William E. Stiles, Jr. (second from left) flew in from Washington to provide expert counsel to teach- er leaders in Phoenix Union High School District preparing for professional nego- tiations on salaries and others matters. The co- ordinating council (from left) Vernon Hathcock, Betty Haas (coordinat- ing council president), and Allen Sayler were chosen by the teachers of the district to repre- sent them.