A RESOLUTION HONORING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MERGER BETWEEN THE MICHIGAN Educational Support Professional ASSOCIATION AND THE MICHIGAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

WHERAS, 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of the merger between the Michigan Educational Support Professional Association and the Michigan Education Association; and

WHERAS, following from the initial organizing of ESP members in the mid-1970s, the 1984 merger of the two associations made MEA one of the first state associations to provide full membership rights to all nonsupervisory members of the education workforce as a unified organization; and

WHERAS, during the past quarter century, thousands of school employees from the paraprofessional, clerical, food service, transportation, custodial, maintenance, skilled trades, security, technical, health and student services ranks have joined the MEA, now making up approximately one-third of overall active membership; and

WHERAS, the combination of those ESP members with other active and retired MEA members create an exceptionally strong education union that advocates for the working conditions of all school employees and the learning conditions of all Michigan students; and

WHERAS, the leadership of MEA ESP members has been instrumental in the fight against a litany of anti-public school employee initiatives, including the defeat of vouchers in 2000 and ongoing battles against privatization of school employee jobs, and will continue to be critical in facing the challenges still ahead; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Michigan Education Association honors the many contributions of ESP members on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the MESPA/MEA merger; and be it further

RESOLVED, that thanks to the involvement of ESP members, MEA is a stronger union and a better advocate for public schools, their employees and, especially, their students.

Updated: March 23, 2009 12:01 PM