The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1957-11-15
Butte Teachers Led Fight To
Improve Professions Conditions

all labor organizations IN the state
were alerted to the Importance Of
support for the measures. This was
the result of the suggestion of the
Montana Federation of Teachers
Several of the most outspoken sup
porters of the bills were strong
friends of organized labor and gave
their support at the suggestion OF
the teachers unions in the state. The
notwithstanding of the MEA does
know that enough strength to kill a
bill can be mustered by reaching only
a few key persons, but enough
strength to pass a bill is mustered
only when many segments of the
Montana population join to support
it.
The MEA article of September 20
plumbs for medical societies for doc
tors, bar associations for lawyers,
and labor unions for labor. Have you
made a comparison of income tax
reports lately? For good measure we
might throw in ranchers and farmers
incomes. eve worked some of these
during the past year, a year of fall
ing prices in agriculture 1t is per-
haps stimulating to some to glow in
the light of reflected glory of such
formidable company-sort of lion
and the mouse relationship. Teachers
organizations for teachers! The writ
er of this article we'll remembers the
days when the classroom teacher was
tainted and Inundated because she
had the temerity to speak out in this
exclusive MEA Superintendent club.
This writer was a member of the
MEA for IS years. Active in local
and the state organiza-
ton, committee member frequently,
president of local, delegate to the
Delegate Assembly several times,
member of the executive board of the
Southwestern district several times,
chairman and speaker for the Eng
fish council. contributor to the MEA
Journal) we were upon occasion
somewhat of a thorn in the side of
the Superintendent Club; we con-
questioned the teachers pen
sion las it was called them to be
built up at $1.00 per month.
Yes, limping retirement law COW
ering teachers had been on the books
since 1915, which will forever bear
witness to the status of the teacher
n the Treasure State prior to the
advent of the Butte Teachers Union
md the impact it had on legislation.
1t was not until 1887, when the
Butte Teachers Union supported by
he late James D. Graham, president
# the Montana Federation of Labor;
he Montana Federation of Labor,
nd the Board of Education Of the
Butte Public Schools maintained
lobby were the teachers of I
he state able to get satisfactory re-
irement law through the legislature. t
Cecilia Leary and Angelina Golubin {
f the Butte Teachers Union were {
obbyists for the teachers for the t
ntire session of the legislature. I
1t may also be added that the teach +
RS of the state were the beneficiaries
f the 1887 legislature controlled by v
beral Democrats.
A letter from the executive-secre- il
Try of the Teachers Retirement Sys- t
I'm, dated February IA, 1855, states f
lat 'the MEA is not in favor of
B 273" (social security. [
The MEA was opposed to social t.
curity coverage which would add II
the teachers retirement benefits. f.
he letter also carried several un- c.
Ipported assertions: points to what c
cial security does not do for women, 2
Id in the following paragraph states V
at the Teachers Retirement system RI
to extend additional benefits to tt
en- teachers. (Of course, we do not c
Ike exception to benefits for chill 0
en- surviving deceased father.) to
1t seems paradoxical that the MEA
posed Social Security stating that U
e teachers of the state rejected the 10
an, and now great number of 7
1ool districts have voted to provide h;
opportunity for their teachers to cl
tie on social security, and many dis pr
cts have majorities of their teach tie
81 r