Tom Zaglaniczny receives Brunner Award for fighting off privatization in Grosse Pointe
Tom Zaglaniczny of Grosse Pointe Public Schools called receiving the Leon A. Brunner Award ‘a huge honor. The MEA is my life, and I am very proud to receive this.’ The highest honor for MEA support staff members, the Brunner Award is given for outstanding service and support to ESP issues and concerns. Zaglaniczny said support staff face many challenges, but ‘we must never give up the fight.'
The man known across his school district and community as “Tommy Z” last year waged a successful campaign against privatizing the jobs of 87 support staff members in Grosse Pointe Public Schools.
For those efforts, Tom Zaglaniczny received MEA’s highest honor for support personnel, the Leon A. Brunner Award, at the MEA ESP Statewide Conference in Traverse City on April 4.
Zaglaniczny led a spirited internal and external campaign against the privatization threat in 2007, rallying positive public sentiment by personally talking to citizens, organizing mass meetings, getting EA and ESP members to attend and speak at school board meetings, mailing informative post cards to positive citizens and parents of Grosse Pointe elementary students and garnering support from other ESP units.
| Tom Zaglaniczny of Grosse Pointe Public Schools on why he received the Leon A. Brunner Award during the ESP Conference held in April. |
“Board members came to recognize Tom as the voice of the Grosse Pointe Plant and Cafeteria Association,” said Mike LaBuhn, an Armada teacher and president of the 6-E Coordinating Council in Local 1.
“Tom was instrumental in ensuring that every bid for privatizing services received by the Grosse Pointe Board of Education received a thorough analysis. Tom and his officers were able to publicly demonstrate the cost effectiveness of retaining the existing workforce.”
Zaglaniczny, who serves as 6-E Coordinating Council vice president, said his local garnered solid support from rank-and-file teachers in the district and from community members.
“We got parents involved on our side in a big way,” he said. “Once they found out what was going on, the public outcry was intense—they wanted our members to stay on the job. They questioned board members on why they wanted to fire people who live and work in the community.”
Zaglaniczny and his colleagues first fought the privatization battle in 2005 when the district outsourced the jobs of 12 cafeteria workers. This time, they were better prepared, following suggestions offered by MEA and the National Education Association.
“We followed the plan step by step,” he said. “We established a ‘board watch’ group and started networking, speaking out at board meetings and staying in touch with community members. I still talk to folks in the community—you can’t lose touch with them.”
He’s been so persistent in his efforts that everyone—the community and school board—knows him as “Tommy Z.”
Tommy Z already is getting ready for the next round of contract negotiations. The contract, settled last year with a two-year wage freeze and concessions in health care, expires in 2009.
“We’re already starting to have discussions about a new contract,” he said. “We’ve got to get ready now.”
Others ESP members nominated for the Brunner Award were: Lori Kenney of Livonia; Peggy Vanluven of Port Huron; and David Hockaday of Lansing.
Leon Brunner Award recipients
1989—Leon A. Brunner, Manistique
1990—Karen L. Hamelink, Kentwood
1991—Carol Boutell, Hartland
1992—Yvonne M. Galloway, Flint
1993—Sue (Wiggers) Sanders, Muskegon
1994—Rose Pratt, Wyoming
1995—Sharron Tozer, Hesperia
1996—Irene Mohler, Tahquamenon, and Joanne Bresette, Marquette
1997—Melba Bartlett, Southfield, and Audrey Sonneville, Battle Creek
1998—Richard “Sandy” Wilson, Kenowa Hills
1999—Judy Parr, Baldwin
2000—Helen Loop, Pine River
2001—Joan Wilson, Mason
2002—Steve Spica, Grand Rapids
2003—Carol Boger, Lake Superior State University
2004—Carmen Stuyvenberg, Redford Union
2005—Terry Wellman, Lansing Community College
2006—Sharon “Mickey” Green, Litchfield
2007—Margaret Hemenway, Durand
2008—Tom Zaglaniczny, Grosse Pointe
Leon A. Brunner Award
The Leon A. Brunner Award was established in 1988 by the MEA/ESP Caucus Executive Board to recognize Michigan’s Educational Support Personnel (ESP) who have made significant contributions to ESP and have exhibited a high degree of commitment to ESP issues and concerns while promoting ESP and having dedication to ESP members.