To prepare for the upcoming legislative session, four Indiana legislators on Wednesday night participated in a roundtable discussion, covering topics including union issues and new diploma requirements.
State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, hosted the roundtable at Indiana University Northwest. Reps. Earl Harris, D-East Chicago, and Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond, and Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, also participated in the discussion.
Hatcher is hosting another discussion at IUN on Monday night, which will include local elected officials.
“I really appreciate collaborating,” Hatcher said Wednesday night. “I think this is important for us to succeed.”
GlenEva Dunham, president of the Gary Teachers Union and Indiana Federation of Teachers, said it’s important for teachers unions to work with state legislators.
“We are here to support you guys,” Dunham told the legislators Wednesday night. “There are things we want to do, and we want to work with all of you.”
Dunham expressed concerns with Indiana’s new high school graduation requirements, which will go into effect with the class of 2029. The new requirements place a greater importance on career pathways as a route to graduation.
She also believes that parents don’t fully understand how the requirements might impact both their kids and them.
State Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, holds up a poster of the 2023 Indiana General Assembly as he speaks to Chesterton High School students on Friday, December 8, 2023. (Kyle Telechan for the Post-Tribune)
Pol is worried about how new requirements impact low-income students and schools with lower budgets, he said Wednesday. For students with transportation issues, they might have trouble meeting the work-based learning requirements for honors diplomas.
“My concern is you’re going to see a bigger split between the haves and have nots,” Pol said. “These kids don’t have transportation. They’re going to be in a situation where they struggle more, especially in rural areas.”
The new diploma requirements are putting stress on school officials because they have to learn how to adjust, Harris said. School officials across the state say the deadline doesn’t provide enough time to retool offerings, according to Post-Tribune archives.
“They have the deadline for the final version as Dec. 31, so you’re halfway through the school year,” Harris said Wednesday. “The school districts have to make adjustments and get students ready for the next school year, but they have less than a year to do that.”
The state representative is concerned that the new graduation requirements will affect the 21st Century Scholars Program, he told the Post-Tribune in November.
Harris authored House Bill 1449, or the 21st Century Scholars bill, which passed in April 2023 with bipartisan support. The bill, now law, automatically enrolls eligible students in the program and notifies families of the academic requirements.
State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond speaks during the 2023 NWI School Superintendent Forum at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana Friday Feb. 24, 2023. (Andy Lavalley for the Post-Tribune)
Hatcher asked Dunham what else she would like to see legislators do in 2025.
“Actually, try to keep it slim,” Dunham told Hatcher. “I know it’s going to be tough, so we need to focus on things like budgets, the teacher shortage and diploma requirements.”
Union representatives are worried about how new leadership, especially with the Trump administration, might impact their workers.
GlenEva Dunham of Gary, president of the Indiana chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, speaks at the annual AFT Indiana Day of Action at the statehouse in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. (Michael Gard / Post-Tribune)
Travis Williams, representative for Central Midwest Carpenters and Carpenter Local 1005 treasurer, said he’s worried about anti-Project Labor Agreements bills. PLAs are pre-hire bargaining agreements between construction unions and contractors to establish terms and conditions for projects, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.
PLAs ensure timely completion of projects, provide employers with highly skilled workers, increase diversity and support equitable workforce development and improve worker health and safety, according to the DOL.
“If the statehouse passes these anti-PLA bills, that’s going to take away a lot of rights, and really, a lot of jobs from local contractors,” Williams said.
In 2023, Williams was worried about Indiana House Bill 1024, which died in committee. The bill would have allowed contractors with 10 or more employees to provide access to a training program for applicable tasks, and it would have allowed public agencies to refuse to adhere to agreements with labor unions.
Williams doesn’t want a similar bill to be on the table in 2025. Having more union workers in the statehouse or interested in politics will help solve those issues, Pol said.
Markael Watkins, a 28-year steelworker, participated in Wednesday night’s roundtable discussion. Watkins, who works for U.S. Steel, is worried that the majority of the company’s workers at the Gary Works facility aren’t from the city.
“We’re trying to fight for issues that impact us,” Watkins said, “but they don’t understand what we’re talking about.”
U.S. Steel has caused higher cancer, asthma and lung disease rates in Gary, Hatcher said.
“At the very least, they could give back by making sure that 20% of the employees are from Gary,” Hatcher said. “But I don’t know who could mandate that.”
In an emailed statement, U.S. Steel said more than 4,000 Gary Works employees call the communities around the facility home.
“These are the same employees who volunteer their time to mentor local schoolchildren and serve in organizations that strengthen the Gary community,” said the company’s statement. “U. S. Steel actively participates in career fairs through WorkOne, Indiana University Northwest, and several Gary area high schools to find local candidates. We are constantly looking to hire talented individuals, and we welcome applications from Gary residents who wish to build a rewarding career.”