Newsroom
Activists work hard in week-long Union Summer School
The CFT’s annual Union Summer School kicked off on Monday, June 22, with rank-and-file members from CFT locals across the state in residence at Cal Poly Pomona’s Kellogg Conference Center.
A half dozen week-long classes kept the union activists busily
engaged with nuts and bolts union skill-building led by CFT staff
and leadership. The majority were first-time attendees at
the popular training.
Local Action: Big Pay Raises
»Gilroy Federation of Paraeducators negotiated a 5.5 percent pay increase retroactive to December 1, a one-time 2 percent raise back to July 2014, adjustments of 3 percent for most job classes, increased stipends and out-of-class pay.
»Weaver Federation of Educational Employees will see a 5 percent raise retroactive to July 1, 2014, and 1.1 percent off-schedule for the entire year; another 5 percent raise and one-time 1.1 percent lump sum on July 1, and a third 5 percent pay increase in July 2016.
Eberhardt wins national honor
Janet Eberhardt, a community relations specialist at Monroe Elementary and member of United Educators of San Francisco, was named the 2015 Education Support Professional of the Year by the National Education Association — an honor that came with $10,000.
In her 29 years with San Francisco Unified, Eberhardt has developed programs that engage and mentor students and families. She, like all UESF members, belongs to both the NEA and the AFT.
Private sector: A tale of two Job Corps
Only four of 125 Job Corps centers in the United States are unionized, and CFT members staff two of them. Adams & Associates is the private contractor managing both Job Corps centers — with very different results.
In San Francisco, AFT Local 6319 represents 150 staff in the Treasure Island Job Corps Workers Union. Local President Emily Rapaport said the Department of Labor ranks centers on student job placement and a range of other metrics. “Since Adams came in about five years ago, we have been either number one or two in the country.”
CFT bill calling for posting of HVAC reports moves to next house, safety door locks stalled
Santa Cruz’s Robert Chacanaca recently testified for CFT-sponsored AB1126 before the Assembly Education Committee. The legislation, carried by Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), would require public schools to post reports of annual heating, ventilation, and air conditioning inspections on the school’s website. AB1126 drew strong bipartisan support, as shown by unanimous approval. The bill passed the Assembly and moved to the Senate, where it awaits referral to committee.
Three tips to avoid digital grief at work
Guardian of campus computer network offers advice
Greg Whaling isn’t the tech geek down the hall that everyone calls when the wifi goes south. Instead, the Data Communications Specialist is a guardian of a college computer network, protecting it against attacks by hackers and misuse by those on campus.
His duties at Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley include monitoring calls, emails, internet traffic, and surveillance video from the employer’s information systems. If it happens on campus, Whaling likely knows about it.
AB 1066 aims to stem widespread and long-standing abuse
Gary Beck is the morning disc jockey at jazz station KSDS, a nonprofit FM station based at San Diego City College. He and afternoon DJ Ron Dhanifu have more than 80 years on-air between them, and when the station holds its regular pledge drives, their loyal listeners contribute the majority of donations.
Sweet harmony? Not quite.
Celebrate the many hats support staff wear!
May 17-23 is Classified School Employee Week
Classified school employees keep California’s schools and colleges working. They are the unsung heroes of public education, and this week we sing of them.
Alisa Messer: Advocating for women and diversity
Joined onstage by other women from City College of San Francisco, English instructor Alisa Messer received the CFT Women in Education Award.
“Make it Fair” creates real change for California
By Josh Pechthalt, CFT President
California’s largest, oldest corporations have not been paying their fair share for more than 35 years. As a result, the state has lost billions of dollars in uncollected property tax revenues — a major factor pushing our public schools to the national bottom in per pupil spending and class size average. The state’s most at-risk families and individuals have also seen essential services repeatedly cut for more than a generation.
Betty Yee: State Controller’s story of immigrant success
Betty Yee said she owes her job as California’s 32nd controller in part to public education — the San Francisco Unified School District and UC Berkeley. She offered a heartfelt thanks to the CFT for its work to get her elected in a tight race.
Classified staff: We wear many hats
Lab techs. Secretaries. Bus drivers. Groundskeepers. Food service workers. The varied hats classified staff members wear cover a multitude of job roles, said Carl Williams, a senior custodian and president of the Lawndale Federation of Classified Employees. He had members pick up a hat and come on stage when they heard their job title called out.