Salinas teachers demand action from their district
Last Saturday dozens of members of the Salinas Valley Federation of Teachers, students, and supporters rallied in front of the Salinas Union High School District’s job fair. According to SVFT President Kati Bassler the rally was called to draw attention to unscrupulous evaluation practices by administrators, unsafe school sites, and lack of responsiveness to serious issues within the district office.
SVFT is challenging the district’s desire to offer signing bonuses to new teachers, while not properly supporting current educators.
“There is a reason why you, the district, (don’t) have signing bonuses for this hiring fair,” Bassler said at a school board meeting last week, as reported by the Monterey Herald. “Why would SVFT agree to incentivizing brand new teachers or veteran teachers to come work in this district when those who have endured this year and last year – the hardest years of education in the United States – are being dismissed?”
Leaders from the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, and the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council also took part in the rally, to show their support for safer schools for all staff and all students.
Faculty at El Camino College Federation of Teachers rally
Last Tuesday, the faculty members of the El Camino College Federation of Teachers held a march on campus in support of their union bargaining platform. After months of organizing, enthusiasm and mobilization have begun surging, as faculty were joined by their classified employee colleagues from AFT Local 6142, with over 75 members rallying.
Members plan continued actions through the coming months as they intensify their fight for improved learning conditions in the classroom, fair wages, and affordable and accessible healthcare for full-time and part-time faculty.
Pictured above: Rain didn’t deter members of the El Camino College Federation of Teachers, who were rallying again this morning.
United for LA schools rally set for March 15
On March 15, tens of thousands of LAUSD education workers will gather in front of LA City Hall to call on LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to use the district’s $4.9 billion in reserves to invest in staff, students, and communities.
United Teachers Los Angeles members and SEIU Local 99 members work side by side in LA schools every day and share a vision for using the district’s historic level of reserves to invest in LA schools through higher pay to attract and retain experienced staff, smaller class sizes, cleaner schools, and access to the counselors, special education assistants, nurses, psychologists, food service workers, custodians, librarians, and others necessary for student success.
For details on the rally, which starts at 4:30 p.m., click here.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Happy International Women's Day! A shout out to all the women educators and classified professionals who are there day in and day out for our students, their families, and our communities!
As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, check out our curated collection of lesson plans for your classroom and inspiration for your union, home, and beyond, as well as all of the great materials and resources on AFT’s Share My Lesson.
