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County teachers union picks leader

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By ADAM EMERSON

aemerson@tampatrib.com

Published: June 23, 2009

TAMPA - The board of the Hillsborough County teachers union unanimously picked someone to replace its long-serving executive director, who is retiring.

Nicholas Whitman, who has led unions throughout the Midwest and Northeast, will take over the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association in August.

Whitman most recently led the Racine Education Association in Wisconsin. Before that, he was the executive director of the National Education Association in New York, responsible for 40,000 members.

The Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association board picked him from among three finalists. Whitman had an edge because he led unions as an executive director.

He has a law degree from the University of Wisconsin and taught political science at the university's Green Bay campus during the 2001-02 academic year.

Whitman is replacing Yvonne Lyons, who has worked for the local union for 29 years, the last nine as its executive director.

Lyons said she'll stay on until contract negotiations between the union and the Hillsborough school district are finished. The district says it has to cut millions from its budget and has proposed two days of unpaid furlough for teachers. So far, the union hasn't accepted that.

The two sides will continue talks Wednesday.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

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