Daniel Kaufman, a spokesman for the state teachers association, said the organization had sought input from local unions in past meetings and sent out surveys to its members. While he would not disclose the figures behind the internal poll, he said they reflected the same sentiments as public polls.
Slots opponents in recent days accused Miller of essentially holding the union hostage by "threatening" to assign the responsibility for funding teacher pensions to local school jurisdictions, a move that would almost certainly force them to impose severe budget cuts.
They also cried foul when legislation considered a top priority by the teachers association - which would create a labor relations board to negotiate labor disputes with the union, removing that power from the State Board of Education - stalled for more than a month in a Senate committee.
