Happy Labor Day!
On Labor Day, we reflect on working people’s victories. Unions are more popular this Labor Day than at any time in more than 50 years—with 71% of Americans now approving of unions.
But this momentum didn’t happen by accident. Working people have organized together for decades—standing together to address low wages, unsafe workplaces, unaffordable healthcare, and a lack of respect on the job.
And this ‘Hot Labor Summer’ has been another memorable one for the labor movement, as we have watched the writers, actors, and hotel workers strike in southern California.
We hope that you and your family have a safe and restful holiday weekend – you’ve earned won it – and that you are able to take the time to reflect on how the gains fought and won by the labor movement continue to benefit all working people, and how we must continue our efforts to organize, not only in defense of our jobs and our schools, but for our broader communities.
And as we celebrate Labor Day, make sure to check out the topnotch member-written curricula for your classroom or your union meetings in our collection produced by the CFT Labor and Climate Justice Education Committee. Details here.
CFT classified conference set for October 27-29 in San Francisco
Registration is now open for the annual CFT classified conference, which will take place from October 27-29 in San Francisco this year. Classified leaders and activists from throughout the state will gather to connect, plan, and organize at the conference, under the theme Flexing Our Power – Protecting Our Progress. Participants can expect to find an exciting line-up of events with plenary sessions, meal events, workshops, social events, and more. Click here for more information and to register.
CFT Back to School Tour continued this week with stops throughout the state
The CFT Back to School Tour continued this week with stops in Paso Robles, Carpinteria, Ojai, and San Rafael. The Paso Robles stop included visits to three sites during their professional learning community time and a member meeting at the end of the day. At CFT President Jeff Freitas’s home local, AFT Local 2216, they visited the Carpinteria Middle School and met with teachers, instructional and office assistants, and specialists to hear about their experiences. In Ojai, where there was a recent earthquake, the local leaders and members joined CFT officers to meet in the high school library to update them on recent events in the district.
And at the San Rafael tour stop
(pictured above), CFT officers held a roundtable discussion with members and leaders of the San Rafael Federation of teachers to discuss the positives and negatives of technology on learning, solutions to improve community in schools, how to retain teachers for the long haul, and much more. Watch a video of the San Rafael tour stop
here, and catch up on photos from throughout the tour in this
Facebook photo album.
UESF releases scathing new report on SFUSD financial mismanagement
At a press event this week that included parents, community allies, and labor leaders, the United Educators of San Francisco released a scathing new report that details years of fiscal mismanagement by the San Francisco Unified School District and offers a roadmap to financial recovery.
The report lays out a plan SFUSD could use to generate and save millions to help them better compensate educators and resource schools to improve education outcomes for students.
"With the ongoing staffing crisis and conversations about closing schools, which could displace thousands of students, we see our report as not simply a list of fiscal recommendations, but a lifeline to students, families, and communities who deserve access to quality, public education without concession or excuse," said UESF President Cassondra Curiel in a statement included with the launch of the report. "This report is intended to offer solutions, and we invite the community to join us in our fight for the schools our students deserve."
Watch and share
this CFT video on Instagram to show your support for UESF.
