For the first time, unions representing employees in the Austin School District have voted "no confidence" in its superintendent and director of human resources.

Four unions representing employees in the Austin Public School District announced Thursday they have given a "no confidence" vote to Superintendent Corrine Johnson and Human Resources Director Julie Jensen.

More than 80 percent of members of unions representing teachers, secretaries, food service workers and custodial workers voted that they do not have confidence in the work performance, leadership and public image of the superintendent and human resources director.

The vote was taken in late November either by voting at the Austin Labor Center or by absentee ballot.

"All employee groups have been unsuccessful in their attempts to work positively with the superintendent and human resource director," said Robert Riege, president of the Austin Education Association, the union representing district teachers. "We have been unable to discuss issues concerning leadership, communications and the interpretation of our negotiated contracts."

Now the unions are asking for the school board to examine the issues they have brought forward.

"A vote of no confidence is often a reflection of disagreement," Johnson said, who has been superintendent for two years.

Any lack of confidence in her leadership would not affect her work, she said.

"Any good CEO worth his or her salt welcomes a challenge," Johnson said.

After studying the AEA press release overnight Jensen said Friday that she was "shocked."

"My reaction is that I think it's terrible," Jensen said, "Not only is it awful both personally and professionally to go through something like this, but for the district as well."

Jensen said she has fulfilled the district's demands for the three and one half years of her employment and "always kept the children in the forefront of my mind," when making decisions. Jensen will be resigning from her position in January 2003.

School Board Chairman David Simonson said the board is behind Johnson and Jensen. Johnson was given her last review this past spring before her contract was renewed and Simonson said she is doing a "fine job."

Employees have filed more grievances with the school district in the last three years than they had in the three years previously, Riege said.

Simonson said, however, that the issues raised are the same ones that has been discussed in the 11 1/2 years he has been on the school board. He said he thinks the vote of "no confidence" is a move that other unions in southeastern Minnesota have been making lately, instead of discussing the issues in other ways.

The AEA representatives met with Johnson and Jensen in June to discuss certain issues. The union representatives asked Johnson and Jensen to discuss these issues and come up with a strategic action plan by the beginning of the 2002 school year plan to solve them.

The union representatives said that if the issues were not addressed, they would address the school board. A vote of no confidence would result after that.

Jensen did not respond to the request, Riege said.

Johnson told the unions that she did not have to come up with a plan, Riege said.

"Johnson informed us she didn't have to be responsible for the teachers," he said.

Johnson and Jensen did not submit a response to the AEA leaders, saying their work for the district; not the teachers' union, Jensen said.

Simonson said for district employees to ask the superintendent for a plan to improve management issues is "extremely unusual." The school board evaluates the superintendent's performance, not employees, he said.

"We are the evaluators," Simonson said.

After the meeting with Johnson and Jensen, the AEA asked school board members to meet about their concerns. Only three of seven members came. Two members had conflicting schedules, one did not show after agreeing to come and one refused to attend, Riege said.

After that meeting, representatives from unions representing secretaries, food service workers and custodial workers approached AEA about their dissatisfaction with Johnson and Jensen's leadership.

A total of 279 members of the AEA, 29 members of the secretaries union, 40 food service workers and 29 custodians participated in the vote. Eighty-one percent of teachers who voted said they had no confidence in Johnson and 88 percent said they had no confidence in Jensen, according to the AEA. Eighty percent of secretaries and food service workers who voted had no confidence in either Johnson or Jensen. Eighty-one percent of custodians who voted had no confidence in either.

One of the concerns of the employees is the recent shift in principals. This school year, two new principals started at Southgate and Sumner Elementary. The former Banfield principal is now the Ellis Middle School principal. The current Banfield principal used to be the assistant principal at Ellis. The principal at Neveln was the principal at Ellis.

Riege said parents are concerned that there may be instability in those positions because of the reassignments.

Riege is hoping that by going public with these issues, the school board will respond and the groups will be able to work together.

"We are willing to work with the entire school board to begin the process of rebuilding confidence in the district's administrative leadership," Riege said.

Simonson said the board will voice its support of Johnson and the district central office at its 6:30 p.m. meeting Monday.

"We have all the confidence in the world in our administration," Simonson said.

-- Lee Bonorden contributed to this report

Cari Quam can be reached at 434-2235 or by e-mail at cari.quam@austindailyherald.com