Dozens of CFT members have tragically lost their homes in Los Angeles area fires
Our hearts go out to all those who have been devastated by the fires in the Los Angeles area. This week we have reached out to thousands of CFT members impacted by the fires. While hundreds have been forced to evacuate, we have also learned that several dozen have tragically lost their homes and belongings to the fires.
CFT has an emergency relief fund for members who have suffered catastrophic losses. If you have lost your home or other property because of the fires, please email us at [email protected] with your name and contact information. We can also assist you in applying for AFT disaster relief funds as well.
We have also established a new resources page on the CFT website that will continue to be updated with critical information for those impacted by the fires.
For those who want to help your sibling union members, please consider donating to the CFT emergency relief fund we have set up specifically for the CFT members who are victims of disasters. Contributions of any amount will go a long way in helping our union siblings get through such a crisis.
President Biden signs the Social Security Fairness Act!
It is with great joy to report that this past Sunday President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law. The new law repeals the WEP/GPO penalties that unfairly took hard earned Social Security benefits for CFT members who vest in both Social Security from previous careers and CalSTRS from their education careers.
“Too many of our nation’s educators end up in poverty when they retire instead of being celebrated for their dedication to our students,” said CFT President Jeff Freitas in an earlier statement. “This legislation is critical to helping educators retire with dignity.”
Thank you again to the thousands of CFT members who worked so hard to pressure our elected leaders to support this legislation! Our collective efforts were critical in ensuring the Social Security Fairness Act passed.
We are working with AFT to get more details from the Social Security Administration on how and when the new law will be implemented and to ensure that labor has a voice in the process. In the meantime, please review this CFT FAQ on the new law.
Governor Newsom announces modest education COLA in proposed budget for upcoming fiscal year
After two years of deficits, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week that the state will see a modest budget increase in the coming year. On Monday he previewed a $322.2 billion proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year that includes a 2.43% COLA for K-14 education.
However, in his announcement Newsom expressed caution about the potential impacts of actions by the incoming Trump administration, including possible cuts in federal funding for schools.
Public education is not properly funded in California. And we will continue to advocate for additional funding above and beyond the governor’s current proposal. Full and stable funding through progressive taxation is a must for our students and communities.
Full details about Governor Newsom’s proposed budget were released earlier today. We will have a more detailed report in upcoming emails and on the CFT website.
Reminder: CFT workshop on defending immigrant students and families today at 4:00 p.m.
All CFT members are invited to join us for an online “Know-Your-Rights” webinar today at 4:00 p.m. to learn how to support immigrant students and families during the upcoming Trump administration. CFT prioritizes making every school in California a safe space for all students including immigrant children. RSVP here.
