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Classified staff ask Thompson School District to recognize TESPA as exclusive bargaining representative
Summary
Representatives of the Thompson Education Support Professionals Association (TESPA) presented a petition and asked the board to recognize TESPA as the exclusive representative for classified employees, citing turnover, wages and access concerns; they requested visitation, orientation access and data to support organizing and bargaining.
Representatives of the Thompson Education Support Professionals Association (TESPA) asked the Thompson School District Board of Education May 7 to recognize TESPA as the exclusive bargaining representative for classified employees.
Why it matters: TESPA leaders told the board that classified staff — including paraprofessionals, bus drivers, building secretaries, custodians, nutrition workers and other roles — play essential roles in student support and classroom operations. TESPA said turnover among classified staff is high and that wage pressures and working‑condition concerns are driving employees out of the district.
What TESPA asked for: TESPA president Jana Lewis and treasurer Nate Donovan presented a membership petition and requested a recognition policy that would authorize access to staff orientations, permit site visits to speak with classified employees, and provide payroll and workforce lists needed to define bargaining units and represent employees. TESPA said similar arrangements exist in nearby districts and argued recognition would streamline communications and bargaining and reduce fragmentation among employee groups.
TESPA's claims and data: TESPA representatives said a records request showed 913 classified employees in the district and that 96 classified staff had left between the prior school year and February, implying a roughly 20% turnover rate among classified positions. The presenters said members reported concerns about pay, health premiums, safety and training and asked the board to treat classified staff as a distinct constituency with standing at the bargaining table.
District response and next steps: Board members thanked the presenters and asked for time to review the material. Trustees said they appreciated the presentation and asked staff to provide background on how other districts handle recognition and shared decision processes. The board did not take formal action; trustees indicated they will seek additional information and follow‑up discussions with TESPA and district staff in coming weeks.
Ending: TESPA told the board they will present additional member stories at a later meeting and that they seek a negotiated, collaborative relationship with district leadership similar to licensed‑staff arrangements.
