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NORTHERN TIER UNISERV

PAST AND PRESENT

In its infancy, Northern Tier UniServ-Central was known as Northern Educators Committed (NEC), a UniServ unit that came into existence in the fall of 1973. The director hired that fall was RA Arends, a Hayward teacher. Later that year, WEAC and NEA gave permission for NEC to divide into two sparsity UniServ units (units with a potential for a high number of bargaining units, but low membership). Northern Educators Committed became the western service half and the United Teaching Profession became the eastern half, determined by Highway 17. Mr. Arends was given the choice of which unit he wanted to work with. He chose the United Teaching Profession. On February 14, 1974, Northern Educators Committed hired Gene Degner, a teacher at Bloomer, as their director. Cindy Brown was hired as the associate staff to work for both directors.

In 1974, when the two units split, there were eleven teacher locals (Arbor Vitae-Woodruff, Butternut, Eagle River, Hurley, Lakeland Union High School, North Lakeland, Minocqua-Hazelhurst-Lake Tomahawk, Park Falls, Phillips, Prentice, Tomahawk). The office was housed at 217 S. Pelham Street (trivia--part of the Downtown Motel), Rhinelander.

In 1976, both organizations changed their names. Northern Educators Committed became WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 and United Teaching Profession became WEAC UniServ Council No. 21. Those names were derived from the computer numbers that WEAC had assigned to each UniServ unit. The reason for the name change was the acronym given to the United Teaching Profession (UTP) unit. UTP was also designated by the NEA as the United Teaching Profession. During this time, WEAC UniServ Council No. 21 relocated to Crandon.

The first ESP local was organized in 1976. This local consisted of the cooks and custodians at Northland Pines. Since that time, educational employes have been organized in AVW, Lac du Flambeau, Mercer, Tomahawk, Nicolet, North Lakeland, MHLT, LUHS, CESA No. 9 (formerly CESA No. 2), Phelps, Hurley, Phillips, Park Falls, and Rib Lake. In 1987, Rhinelander teachers reaffiliated with WEAC and the ESP employes switched from the Federation. Three Lakes joined the Council 18 family in 1993.

In December, 1979, WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 associate staff, Cindy Brown, left and Bonnie Breivogel was hired. In 1980, WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 computerized to accommodate the expanding workload. In May, 1981, the Pelham Street rental changed owners and WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 moved to 25 E. Rives Street, Rhinelander. As the number of locals increased, WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 outgrew its Rives Street facility and in September, 1987, moved to 719 W. Kemp Street, Rhinelander. In July, 1993, the office relocated to 900 W. Kemp Street (trivia--the former office was turned into a liquor store!!). In 1994, Council 18 built their own office building at 1901 W. River Street.

On September 1, 1995, WEAC UniServ Council No. 18 officially became Northern Tier UniServ-Central when they merged with Chequamegon United Teacher (now known as Northern Tier UniServ-West) and Northeast Education Council (now known as Northern Tier UniServ-East) to form the Northern Tier UniServ.

In March, 2001, NTU-C and NTU-E officially approved consolidation. The units will be housed in the Rhinelander office following an addition that is to be complete by March 1, 2002. After consolidation, the -C and -E were removed and the unit was renamed Northern Tier UniServ (NTU). Carol Nelson, Director, and Renee Ison, joined the existing Rhinelander staff and brought with them all the locals from the former NTU-E unit.

In June, 2003, Carol Nelson resigned NTU to take a job with the National Education Association (NEA), Washington DC. NTU hired Ted M. Lewis, an attorney, from Brooklyn, New York. In December, 2006, Ted took a position with the Rock Valley United Teachers in Janesville, WI. On January 2, 2007, Fred Andrist joined the NTU team and returned to the UniServ that helped him organize his local when he was a teacher in Rib Lake. He was an active member of both his local and the UniServ over the years. In April, 1996, he left teaching and took a position as a UniServ director with West Central Education Association in Monomonie, WI. Fred comes to NTU with a wealth of experience.

To date, Northern Tier UniServ has organized all teacher locals in their area and ESP locals in all but six districts (Prentice, Three Lakes, Florence, Goodman/Armstrong Creek, Pembine, and Wausaukee).

Northern Tier now represents:

As you can see, Northern Tier has one of the largest geographic areas for a single UniServ in the state.