The Montana Federation of Public Employees (MFPE) is a left-leaning labor union representing teachers and other government employees in Montana. The MPEA is the largest union in Montana, representing more than 23,000 employees, and was formed as a result of a 2018 merger between the state’s teachers’ union, the Montana Education Association-Montana Federation of Teachers (MEA-MFT) and the Montana Public Employee Association. The union lobbies for left-leaning legislation nationally as well as in Montana, and endorses and supports predominately Democratic candidates for office. ¹

Background

The Montana Federation of Public Employees was formed in 2018 through a merger between two of the state’s largest labor unions, the Montana Public Employees Association and the Montana Education Association-Montana Federation of Teachers (MEA-MFT). The MEA-MFT was formed in a 2000 merger of the Montana Education Association and the Montana Federation of Teachers. The Montana Public Employees Association was formed in 1945 and the Montana Education Association traces its roots to teacher organizing in the late 1800s. ²

The union is an affiliate of the Montana AFL-CIO and also consists of over 400 local teachers’ unions and government employee unions. The union is a state-level affiliate of both the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. ^{3 4}

Policy Stances

The Montana Federation of Public Employees lobbies on behalf of left-leaning pro-union policies at the federal level and within Montana. The organization has a three-person lobbying team and negotiates contracts and employee pay scales with the Governor’s office. In 2019, the state legislature passed the union’s preferred university and state employee pay plan, which it negotiated with then-Governor Steve Bullock (D). ^{5 6}

The organization also opposes right-to-work legislation as well as reforms to pre-kindergarten programs in the state. The organization has praised the work of moderate Republicans in the state legislature who helped Democrats pass notable left-leaning pieces of legislation, including Medicaid expansion and increased funding for infrastructure and museums. The union also lobbies against gun-related legislation, mobilizing against a ballot referendum that would ban local governments from prohibiting concealed carry within government buildings, which ultimately passed. ^{7 8}

The Montana Federation of Public Employees has also recently sued the state over multiple pieces of legislation enacted in 2021. One set of lawsuits targets new laws that allow students and staff to carry guns on public school campuses, require transgendered college athletes to compete against others of their biological sex, and prohibit certain political activities on campus. ⁹ Another lawsuit, filed with the Montana AFL-CIO and the Montana Democratic Party, seeks to overturn the state’s prohibition on same-day voter registration. ¹⁰

Endorsements

The Montana Federation of Public Employees predominately supports Democratic candidates for office. But the organization also support moderate and left-leaning republicans in the state legislations, with a page highlighting its endorsed Republicans on its website. ¹²

People

Amanda Curtis has been the president of the Montana Federation of Public Employees since June 2020 after replacing former president Eric Feaver, who led the MEA-MFT for decades and navigated it through its merger. Curtis is a teacher from Butte, Montana who served three terms as a Democratic member of the Montana House of Representatives, winning elections to the state house in 2012 and 2016. In 2014, Curtis sought election to the U.S. Senate, losing to now-U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) by 17 percentage points in the general election. ¹³

1. “About.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/about-mfpe
2. “MEA-MFT and MPEA are Merged.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/2018/01/21/its-official-mea-mft-mpea-are-merged/
3. About.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/about-mfpe
4. “Affiliates.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/about-mfpe/affiliates/
5. MFPE Summer 2019 Newsletter.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MFPE-Advocate-.-Summer-2019-Newsletter-.-Final.pdf
6. “MFPE October 2020 Newsletter.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MFPENewsletter-6.pdf
7. “MFPE Summer 2019 Newsletter.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/MFPE-Advocate-.-Summer-2019-Newsletter-.-Final.pdf
8. “MFPE October 2020 Newsletter.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MFPENewsletter-6.pdf
9. “Lawsuit filed with Montana Supreme Court challenges constitutionality of multiple measures.” NBC Montana. May 20, 2021. Accessed October 15, 2021.  https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/lawsuit-filed-with-montana-supreme-court-challenges-constitutionality-of-multiple-measures
10. Weitz, Olivia. “Montana Labor Unions Sue To Block Same-Day Voting Restrictions.”ntana  Public Radio. September 23, 2021. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2021-09-23/montana-labor-unions-sue-to-block-same-day-voting-restrictions
12. “2020 Endorsed Republican Candidates.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/republicans2020/[/note]

    During the 2020 elections, the union endorsed Democratic then-Governor Steve Bullock (D) for United States Senate, as well as Democratic candidates in major statewide offices. ¹¹ “MFPE 2020 PAC Endorsements.” Montana Federation of Public Employees. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://www.mfpe.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/MFPE-PAC-Endorsements-2020.pdf

13. “Amanda Curtis.” Ballotpedia. Accessed October 15, 2021. https://ballotpedia.org/Amanda_Curtis