Members report need for better pay during CFT Back to School tour
With CFT Back to School tour stops this week in Pico Rivera, Orange County, Gilroy, and Daly City, a common theme continues to rise to the top of concerns expressed by educators and classified professionals – the pay is simply not enough to keep up with the cost of living, pushing school workers out of the communities in which they serve.
Now a powerful new report from the Economic Policy Institute demonstrates that teachers are paid less (in weekly wages and total compensation) than their non teacher college-educated counterparts, and the situation has worsened considerably over time. The report finds that in California the weekly pay penalty for teachers is -17.6% compared to other college graduates.
According to CFT President Jeff Freitas, the results of the study confirm CFT’s continued advocacy and organizing to raise funding for our schools and the pay of both certificated and classified workers.
“Much has been made of the teacher shortage in the media, but this really is a decades-long problem that has roots that run far deeper than the pandemic or any economic downturn,” says Jeff. “And so we’ve got to continue our organizing at every level to raise funding for our schools and to raise pay for education workers.”
Pictured above is the tour stop this week from the El Rancho Federation of Teachers. For more photos and reports from the Back to School tour, check out CFT’s twitter feed.
We recommend a no vote on Prop 27: Massive expansion of corporate gambling
After careful consideration we recommend a no vote on Proposition 27, which was put on the ballot by out-of-state gambling corporations like Draft Kings and FanDuel. Prop 27 would deliver 90% of profits generated to the coffers of these out-of-state corporations, without creating new jobs or making any real investments in California.
Moreover, this measure would legalize the largest expansion of gambling in state history—by turning virtually every cell phone, tablet, laptop and video game console in California into a gambling device. It also lacks the safeguards necessary to prevent underage gambling.
Most critically, Prop 27 explicitly sidesteps the state General Fund and Proposition 98, meaning none of the tax revenues would go to public schools and community colleges.
More details here.
Support striking Kaiser mental health workers
This week two thousand Kaiser mental health clinicians have begun an open-ended strike, taking a brave stand for their jobs and their patients. For years these clinicians have advocated for ending delays in patients getting needed care, reasonable caseloads, and ending the high turnover of providers by addressing the recruitment and retention needs of staff.
As educators and classified professionals, we know how critical mental health services are to the students and families we serve, as well as to our own families.
We stand with the striking clinicians at Kaiser for their ongoing advocacy for their patients. It is time for Kaiser to do everything in their power to meet the needs of patients and the hard working clinicians and settle this strike.
Want to support these critical workers? Join the picket line at one of many locations across the state.
Rally in support of farm workers next Friday in Sacramento
Farm workers have been marching to win the fundamental right to vote for a union free from employer intimidation and threats. The LA Times reports that over the last two weeks, a core group of 26 UFW members have been walking as far as 22 miles a day in the blistering San Joaquin Valley sun with temperatures topping 100 degrees.
This historic 24-day, 335-mile march will conclude with a rally at the State Capitol next Friday, August 26 at 9:30 a.m. This action is to convince Governor Gavin Newsom to sign AB 2183, the Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act (AB 2183-Stone).
The bill would give more choices to farm workers so they can vote free from intimidation. Farm workers would be able to vote in secret whenever and wherever they feel safe.
Please consider joining the UFW and other supporters at the Friday rally at the State Capitol to urge Governor Newsom to sign AB 2183 into law. For more information on the campaign and how you can get involved, go to the UFW website.
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