This resolution outlines the struggles classified workers face and prescribes policy reforms to address those struggles, from stronger paid family leave to safer work places to higher pay.
Classified Workers Bill of Rights Resolution passes the legislature!
Classified workers in California recently scored a major win with the approval of Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2, authored by State Senator (and recent CFT Legislator of the Year!) Dave Cortese. The legislation outlines a list of rights classified workers deserve and urges President Trump and Congress to sign those rights into law.
It’s no secret that classified members perform a variety of duties without which schools can't function, but employers often return the favor with wildly inadequate pay, benefits and respect. This resolution outlines the struggles classified workers face and prescribes policy reforms to address those struggles, from stronger paid family leave to safer work places to higher pay.
Critically, SJR 2 calls for collective bargaining rights and other related protections, such as language prohibiting the use of scabs or lockouts. The measure provides clear direction to federal lawmakers to put those ideas into practice for all classified workers across the country.
California now joins a growing list of states that have passed such a resolution and sent a clear message that classified workers deserve more and won't rest until they get it.
AFT Disaster Relief Fund for Gaza Humanitarian Aid
Many of us are horrified by the ongoing war and the desperate humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Nearly every person in Gaza needs urgent humanitarian assistance. Two million Palestinians have been displaced, and the entire population is facing forced starvation and needs urgent medical attention. According to UNICEF, 80 percent of those who have died from malnutrition during this war were children. This is an immediate crisis that requires our intervention, and we as educators and classified professionals have an obligation to speak out for justice.
CFT has contributed $10,000 with a vote of the CFT Executive Council, and now we are asking individuals.
Your contribution will go immediately to relief work on the ground by the organization American Near East Refugee Aid (known as ANERA), a nonprofit charity with decades of experience working in the area. One hundred percent of your donation will go to ANERA, because the AFT covers any fees for collecting funds.
The annual CFT Back to School tour is officially underway. On Wednesday, both seasoned and brand new teachers gathered at La Paz Middle School in Salinas Valley to meet with CFT leaders, discuss the upcoming school year, and learn about the benefits of joining a union.
The Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers signed up an impressive 58 new CFT members on Wednesday. Next week CFT leaders head to Newport Mesa and Poway.
There is still time to schedule a Back to School tour stop at your local! Reach out to CFT Campaigns Director Jess Hay to schedule a time: [email protected]
Time to stock up on your Union made school supplies!
It’s that time of year again. Check out the AFL-CIO’s union made school supplies for your back to school shopping list.
Join CFT for an upcoming training opportunity, “Know Your Rights: LGBTQ+”
This virtual workshop will provide an overview of existing California policies protecting LGBTQ+ students and educators as well as current proposed legislation in Sacramento and Washington DC. The workshop will also include a collaborative working session to generate strategies for supporting LGBTQ+ students in the classroom and on campus. Register here!
For regular updates to Fight Back events and opportunities, you can check CFT’s dedicated website for these efforts.
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