Working as a union president at a school is not easy, and certainly not something that everyone would want to do.

What would you do if, in that role, you were constantly being fought against and harassed by teh superintendent of the schools just for trying to do your job?

That is what is happening to the person in this story, and she is tired of having to deal with this type of thing while trying to negotiate for the people in the union. She even goes as far as to say that the stress of the job has sent her to the ER.

Personally, I think that most of her complaints are just normal parts of the job, though. As a union president, you have to expect that you will engage in high-pressure negotiations. Read through the full story below and see what you think about the situation.

I’m a union president at a public school district, and my superintendent is trying to break me

I’m the elected president of our classified union at a public school district in California.

Ok, this seems like an important job.

I’ve been doing my job—bargaining for raises and benefits, keeping our members informed, and making sure the district follows labor law.

But our superintendent has been doing everything she can to shut me down and isolate me. She is:

Let’s see what the Superintendent is doing.

• Refused to acknowledge our labor rep, saying she “won’t work with him” and insists all communications go only through me.
• Demanded I meet with her alone, even though I’ve told her I don’t feel safe doing that and want representation.
• Accused me in writing of being dishonest and “detrimental” to the district—just for communicating with our union members.

Honestly, it is the job of the Superintendent to push back against union demands. Though some of these might be out of line.

• Refused to continue bargaining unless we close all articles first, which is not required by law or our contract.
• Tried to turn my own leadership team against me by claiming I’m the reason bargaining isn’t moving forward.
• Made me so stressed I ended up in the ER with chest pain.

Does this really qualify as bullying?

I’ve been bullied my whole life, and I know what it looks like when someone with power tries to break you.

I’m tired, but I’m not giving in. Today, I finally sent a request to our union’s legal team asking them to file a PERB (Public Employment Relations Board) complaint for retaliation and interference with union rights.

It is true that people in all walks of life will do these things.

I’m not looking for sympathy—I just want people to know that even in public service jobs, there are still people in power who will lie, intimidate, and retaliate when workers speak up. And it’s not okay.

If you’ve been through anything like this, how did you deal with it? Did it ever get better?

When your whole job is to try to negotiate with an opposing party, you really have to expect that they will be constantly pushing back on you. This seems like just part of the job.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a professor who missed a major funding deadline after they told their graduate student to leave them alone.

Read on to see what the people in the comments have to say about this story.

That’s what the legal team is there for, though. Why wouldn’t she use them?

This type of situation is what the legal team is there for.

Wow, this is very aggressive.

It is possible to push back against the administration, though.

Recording all interactions is a great tip.
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There are laws and regulations in place to govern this type of thing; she needs to use them. Keeping in mind that this isn’t personal, it is just two opposing sides having a disagreement, which can help to lower stress.

Follow the union negotiation rules that are in place, and things should go smoothly. Remember, not all jobs are easy or stress-free, though. Just do your best and go home to your family. In the end, that is what matters most.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a mom who homeschooled during the day and worked at night, only to have her employer try to change her schedule.