Repeal WEP and GPO – stop penalizing teachers and public employees
Everyone deserves a secure retirement, especially those who devoted their career to public service. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) threatens that by substantially reducing or eliminating the EARNED Social Security benefits of the millions of retired teachers and public employees who contributed to Social Security through other employment. Thousands more are penalized every year as they retire from public service because their state, municipality, or school district does not participate in the Social Security system.
Please take a moment to sign this AFT petition to Speaker Pelosi calling on Congress to eliminate the penalty hurting too many of our retired educators and public employees.
Part-time faculty healthcare campaign in full swing and push is on to raise workload cap
This week the second phase of our CFT part-time faculty healthcare campaign continued with regional meetings in Los Angeles (pictured above, left) and San Jose (pictured above, right). The meetings are an opportunity for state and local CFT leaders and rank-and-file activists to start organizing for upcoming local negotiations to secure improved healthcare as soon as possible, using the $200 million in ongoing funding we successfully secured in this year’s state budget.
Also this week, we launched an online letter to Governor Newsom urging him to sign AB 1856, which would raise the workload cap for part-time faculty from 67% to 85%. Under the current law, too many part-time faculty members are forced to work in multiple community college districts to piece together a full time schedule, hurting not only their ability to make a living, but their ability to participate in the campus community and be a resource to students.
Thanks to the over 1,500 CFT members who have signed the letter so far! If you haven’t signed yet, please take a moment to sign the letter now.
CFT Back to School tour visits faculty and staff at Palomar College
Thanks to the faculty and classified staff at Palomar College for a great Back to School meeting this week. While faculty and staff are deeply committed to their students and the college, both groups discussed critical issues that need to be addressed. Classified staff shared the need to fill open positions and called for equity in professional development. Faculty discussed the need to get rid of the two-tier system and to treat all faculty as professionals.
Staying safe in extreme heat
The heat wave rolling through the entire state has made for a difficult week for students, teachers, and classified staff. The California Department of Health has issued interim health guidance for schools on “Sports and Strenuous Outdoor Activities during Extreme Heat,” which, along with other key information on dealing with the heat, can be found on this CFT resource page.
As the heat wave was underway, this week 17 organizations in Los Angeles urged the LAUSD to deliver climate justice to students, staff, and communities by negotiating on UTLA’s Beyond Recovery platform. The Healthy, Green Public Schools section of the platform includes proposals to add green space, shade and other cooling/environmental measures to schools among other ambitious climate justice proposals. Check out this great write up in the LA Times on the event.
