Happy Classified School Employee Week!
This week we celebrate Classified School Employee Week, an opportunity to recognize the support staff and paraprofessionals who help our students at our early childhood centers, schools, and colleges succeed.
Classified employees perform essential work every day in our schools and on our campuses, but it is often behind the scenes. Like all education workers, they deserve the dignity, respect, pay, and benefits they need to do their critical work for the long term.
We know the best way to recognize and appreciate classified workers is to stand together to demand better wages and working conditions and to protect their jobs from layoffs. And this week we have a great example of that solidarity in action – Back in March, the San Francisco Unified School District sent layoff notices to 134 paraprofessionals. But after a months-long organizing campaign, including this powerful speech from UESF VP for paras Teanna Tillery and mass turnouts at the Board of Education (pictured above), the union was successful in getting the district to rescind all of the layoffs last week. Fantastic work!
For more on Classified School Employee Week, check out this heartfelt shout out from CFT President Jeff Freitas, and the video from our Classified Day of Action last May.
Compton College faculty and classified staff demand new contracts
This Monday over two-dozen faculty, students, and classified staff from Compton College took part in a rally and speak out in front of their board of trustees meeting. Frustrations are reaching a fever pitch amongst the faculty, who haven’t had a scheduled raise since 2019, despite Compton College offering some of the lowest faculty pay in the region. Classified staff have reached impasse with the district in their negotiations.
Faculty at the college have been at the bargaining table for more than two years with the district, who have dragged out the process. The cost? High turnover and low morale, which directly impacts the students.
“Monday was solidarity in action,” said Compton Community College Federation of Employees - Certificated, AFT Local 3486, President David Chavez. “Faculty and classified came together in support of our shared struggles for just tentative agreements. We spoke truth to power and our faculty delivered a petition to the Board of Trustees demanding respect for our labor, support for our students' learning conditions, and a tentative agreement now!”
“Our members deserve a contract that reflects their dedication and contribution to the college and communities,” said AFT Local 3486A President Amankwa ‘Mac’ Mckinzie. “We have negotiated in good faith, but the district has failed to meet our reasonable demands. We remain committed to advocating for our members and ensuring they receive the respect they deserve.”
Take a moment to offer your support to your union siblings at Compton College on Instagram.
Congressional Republicans vote to gut Medicaid and essential programs for massive tax cut for the wealthy
Early yesterday morning Republicans in the the House of Representatives rammed through a bill that would gut Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the Pell Grant program. The bill would also cut Medicare, make college less affordable, and use public education funding as a piggy bank to create a school voucher program that’s essentially a new tax shelter for the well-off.
All of this to fund tax breaks for the ultra rich, in a move that economists say would be the largest transfer of wealth from the poor and working class to the wealthy in our history.
If it becomes law, the impact of the bill would be staggering for working families – 14 million people will lose access to healthcare, 11 million people—including 4 million kids—will lose food assistance, and 4 million students will see their Pell grants reduced or eliminated.
It is up to all of us to continue the fight back against one of the most odious pieces of legislation in our nation's history. And that’s why we urge all CFT members to join the June 14 No Kings Day of Action, called on that day because President Trump is planning a massive military parade in Washington, D.C. Please follow up with your local union to participate in a rally near you. More details at www.nokings.org.
Have a safe and restful Memorial Day
As we honor those who have lost their lives in the service of our country this weekend, we hope you are able to take the time to rest and connect with your friends, family, and community. If you gather for a cookout or barbeque, make sure to make it union-made.
