By Ben Velderman
EAGnews.org

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The rift between two Missouri teacher unions appears to be so wide that it’s doubtful “solidarity forever” folksinger Pete Seeger could heal it.

The Springfield National Education Association (SNEA) is being sued by its rival union – the Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA) – for blocking non-SNEA members from voting on a tentative labor agreement with the local school district.

MORE NEWS: From Classroom to Consulate Chef: Culinary Student Lands Dream Job at U.S. Embassy in Paris

MTSA is also suing Springfield Public Schools over its members’ inability to vote on the recently ratified teachers’ contract.

News-Leader.com explains this unusual situation: “In Springfield, teachers have the option of joining SNEA, MSTA or not joining a union. However, all teachers are part of the overall bargaining unit, and SNEA is the elected bargaining representative.”

That means the SNEA bargained on behalf of all of the district’s 1,700 teachers, counselors and librarians. But the dominant union only allowed its 900 members to vote on the contract ratification. The deal was approved by a majority of SNEA members, and later by the Springfield school board.

The other 800 or so employees – those that belong to the MSTA or no union at all – were not allowed to vote.

SNEA leaders say that’s a common practice and perfectly legal under union bylaws, reports the News-Leader.com.

But MSTA members are not satisfied with that argument and filed a lawsuit against the SNEA on Monday.

MORE NEWS: Know These Before Moving From Cyprus To The UK

“We believe there is a clear, defined responsibility to represent all teachers equally during the negotiation and ratification of a collective bargaining agreement,” said MSTA attorney Vera Campfield, according to OzarksFirst.com. “Simply put, (SNEA leaders) failed in their responsibility.”

MSTA also filed a suit against the Springfield district, after school officials denied the union’s request that non-SNEA members be given the opportunity to vote on the deal. The union claims the district has violated its members’ equal protection guarantees, as outlined in the Missouri Constitution.

Springfield school leaders replied that it is up to the labor unions – not the district – to determine how members ratify the contract.

MSTA attorneys are asking that the contract – which took effect on July 1 – be “put on hold until all teachers have a chance to vote on it,” reports KY3 News.

MSTA spokesman Todd Fuller told News-Leader.com that the case will “set some precedent” in Missouri, which has few guidelines over how to handle such union-made dilemmas.

Our hope is that this case opens a few more eyes as to the destructive nature of public sector labor unions – and convinces more Americans that unions don’t belong in our public schools.