October 14 CFT U.S. Senate Candidate Forum
Thanks to the hundreds of CFT members who have RSVPd for the 2023 CFT Senate Candidate Forum. The online forum, which will take place on October 14 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon, will feature the three leading candidates for the upcoming U.S. Senate election in California – Barbara Lee, Katie Porter, and Adam Schiff.
Space is limited, so make sure to register today if you would like to hear more from these candidates on issues critical to public education. Note: If you are attending the CFT State Council in person, you do not need to register for this event.
Banned Book Week
October 1-7, 2023, is National Banned Book Week. The week is an opportunity to raise awareness about book bans and censorship in our schools and other public institutions. Book banning in this country is nothing new, but recent attempts to limit what students can read are overreaching like never before.
Check out this CFT resources page for more information on Banned Book Week, including details on the Let Freedom Read day of action this Saturday.
Lots of critical bills on Governor Newsom’s desk
Thanks to the thousands of CFT members who continue to sign petitions and send letters to the Governor, urging him to sign the critical education bills on his desk. Please take a moment to join in the effort on the critical bills listed below:
Yes on AB 1699 – Requires all public TK-14 schools to provide existing classified employees with a right of first refusal for part- and full-time jobs they can reasonably perform.
Yes on AB 504 – Provides state and local government workers in California the right to refuse to cross picket lines.
Yes on AB 811 – Allows community college students to repeat certain credit courses for skill-building, self-improvement, transfer ability, and career opportunities.
CFT Back to School tour continues with Coast Federation of Classified Employees
The CFT Back to School tour continued this week with CFT officers meeting today with two dozen members of the Coast Federation of Classified Employees, AFT Local 4794. The meeting was part of a broader Executive Board retreat, where local leaders were trained in cultural proficiency, running an effective union meeting, and skills for site representatives.
In Solidarity
Solidarity with striking Kaiser workers. The largest healthcare strike in US history is now in its final day after more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers hit the picket line for a three-day Unfair Labor Practices strike this Wednesday. The striking employees, who work across California, Colorado, Washington and Oregon, are represented by a coalition of unions that comprise 40% of Kaiser’s staff. Key issues will be familiar to all education workers – better pay and increasing staffing levels.
For those interested in supporting striking workers on the picket line in California, the California Labor Federation regularly updates this resources page with information on strikes throughout the state.
