Happy Halloween everyone. I ended up with a lot of candy at the end of the night-- usually there are a lot of kids by my place, but tonight it was somewhat dead.
Lake Lehman is still on strike.
Seneca Valley is still on strike; though they do have a meeting at an undisclosed location with a state mediator. (I'm thinking that the mediator has to belong to the US shadow government and is therefore none other than the VP himself, Dick Cheney.)
I've been cruising the edblogs, and I'm with PREA Prez on this Diane Ravitch thing. Quite simply, ?
I haven't read the NOLA charter school report, but I will soon.
Later, y'all.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Back from the undead...
Seneca Valley is still out.
Lake Lehman is still out.
And I will be reabsorbed by the dark gaping maw that is my life outside of this blog. Happy Halloween!
Lake Lehman is still out.
And I will be reabsorbed by the dark gaping maw that is my life outside of this blog. Happy Halloween!
Friday, October 26, 2007
After 3 days, back!
Edison local issues an intent to strike.
Seneca Valley is still out. "Useless, incompetent deadwood teachers" says one SV BOE member. You should check out their website-- well done. Have you seem this blog?
When you want to file a grievance in Chicago Public Schools, should you go to the union website or craigslist to get better service? Yep, you're right. You should probably go to craigslist.
Earlville is no longer on strike.
Don't forget Merge Divide's series "Report From The Line".
AFT's got a new report out about the mess that is New Orleans, thanks to the super-privatization that's going on there. Check it out.
Nippersink is back in.
This Catholic Teachers' Union will take a strike authorization vote on Tuesday.
More about banning teachers' strikes in PA. I say bite me, they have the right to strike.
Lake Lehman is still out; they will probably stay out the entire length they can to force negotiations to binding arbitration.
Seneca Valley is still out. "Useless, incompetent deadwood teachers" says one SV BOE member. You should check out their website-- well done. Have you seem this blog?
When you want to file a grievance in Chicago Public Schools, should you go to the union website or craigslist to get better service? Yep, you're right. You should probably go to craigslist.
Earlville is no longer on strike.
Don't forget Merge Divide's series "Report From The Line".
AFT's got a new report out about the mess that is New Orleans, thanks to the super-privatization that's going on there. Check it out.
Nippersink is back in.
This Catholic Teachers' Union will take a strike authorization vote on Tuesday.
More about banning teachers' strikes in PA. I say bite me, they have the right to strike.
Lake Lehman is still out; they will probably stay out the entire length they can to force negotiations to binding arbitration.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
UFT Organizes Home Care Workers!
Here's the UFT press release: what will Mike Antonucci say about this? :)
Culminating the city’s largest labor organizing drive in decades, New York City’s 28,000 home-based child care providers have voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the United Federation of Teachers as their collective bargaining agent, UFT President Randi Weingarten announced today.
According to the New York State Employment Relations Board (SERB), which tallied secret ballot cards mailed in between September 5 and October 15, the providers voted 8,382 to 96 to form a union that will be represented in contract talks by the UFT, which represents the city’s 110,000 public school educators.
“This vote caps a two-year drive to secure an economic and political voice for home child care providers,” Weingarten said, adding, “The UFT will soon begin negotiations for them and will seek the economic dignity and professional opportunities and respect they so deeply deserve but now lack.
“It is a privilege for the UFT to represent these hard-working providers,” she continued. “They share a bond with teachers in that they help educate and care for thousands of our city’s youngest children. We are grateful for this vote of confidence and we are committed to fighting for their interests and the interests of the kids they serve and integrating the providers into our union family.
“We and our affiliates at New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers want to help these providers help children make the transition to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten by ramping up what we started, giving the providers opportunities for professional development as well as access to curricula and training. The unionization and professionalizing of providers will give thousands of children who will enter our public school system the head start they need,” Weingarten said.
“We are thrilled that the providers have taken this ultimate step toward obtaining the compensation, dignity and respect they deserve,” said Bertha Lewis, executive director of the New York Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which worked hand-in-hand with the UFT on a two-year grass-roots campaign to organize the providers.
“This is one of the first genuine collaborations between a community organization and a major labor union, and the result is important for both,” Lewis continued. “Today we celebrate a major accomplishment that bodes well for all workers striving to become part of the middle class in New York City. This partnership between ACORN and the UFT shows that great things can be accomplished when progressive labor groups and community organizations work together.”
“Today marks a great victory for the over 28,000 providers who have joined the UFT, and I thank Randi Weingarten and ACORN for all their work these last few years to make this a reality,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. “In voting to be represented by the UFT, these hard-working New Yorkers have cast a vote for a living wage, for quality health care, for the ability to retire with a pension,” she continued. “This is also a victory for New York City families whose children will now benefit from providers who have access to professional development, curriculum and training.”
Weingarten noted that the providers are among the lowest-paid workers in the region. A 2006 ACORN study showed that the average annual wage for family and group family providers in New York City is $19,933. The federal poverty line for a family of four in 2004 was $18,850. The providers have no health benefits, pension plan or paid vacations.
Luz Alvarez, a 53-year-old native New Yorker who provides care for children in her Manhattan home, said, “Thank Heaven we finally have a union. I’ve been a provider for eight years and in that time I’ve had one vacation, which was to attend my daughter’s wedding. The union can help us go in and negotiate a salary and other benefits so we can take a vacation once a year or take a sick day without losing pay.”
Weingarten said anything the UFT can do to improve services and working conditions for the providers will result in huge, long-term benefits for the children they care for. She cited the Perry Pre-School Study in Michigan, which tracked children from the ages of 3 or 4, when they began pre-school, into their 20s. The study participants had increased cognitive skills and higher academic achievement, improved graduation rates, more college enrollments and greater rates of employment. That study also estimated a savings of $7 for every dollar invested in early education through reduced special education needs, lower incarceration rates and reduced welfare and unemployment costs.
Weingarten thanked and congratulated ACORN and those who spearheaded the union-organizing effort, including UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden, Special Assistant to the President, Amina Rachman, special coordinator Fran Streich and several providers who merited special recognition for their contributions including Tammie Miller, Melvina Vandross, Nila Edwards, Shirley Middleton, Adele Kearny, Cheryl Ipperson, Gladys Jones, Jenni Rivera, Lourdes Lebron and Andrea Royal.
“Our providers did a lot of hard work over the past two years going door to door to enlist the support of their colleagues, getting cards signed, holding house meetings, attending rallies, writing letters, lobbying elected officials and making phone calls. They have done a real service for their brothers and sisters in the cause,” Weingarten said.
Weingarten also thanked key elected officials for supporting the organizing effort including Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat who had introduced legislation in the state Legislature to allow the providers to organize. Espaillat’s bill was approved by the Legislature but Gov. George Pataki vetoed it. Gov. Spitzer later approved the measure as an executive order.
Weingarten went on to thank state Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, state Senator Bill Perkins, former state senators Carl Andrews and Nick Spano, City Council Speaker Quinn and City Council members Bill de Blasio, Robert Jackson and Joel Rivera for supporting the organizing effort.
“It took a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get to this point, and there’s still much more work ahead of us,” said Bodden, who helped coordinate the union organizing effort. “But even so, we should take a moment to savor this victory and congratulate the providers for taking this bold step toward their empowerment.”
“Today the voices of thousands of city day-care providers have been heard,” said Richard Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers, the UFT’s statewide affiliate. “These new union members join forces statewide with more than half a million NYSUT members who work in education and health care. As unionists, their voices will be amplified as together we seek the pay and respect that recognizes the important work they do.”
Nat LaCour, secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, the UFT’s national affiliate, said the inclusion of the providers in the AFT marks the largest addition of workers unaffiliated with any other union or organization in the AFT’s history.
“There is an old saying in early childhood education: ‘Parents can’t afford to pay, workers can’t afford to stay, there’s got to be a better way.’ Today I believe that the UFT and ACORN have created that elusive better way,” LaCour said. “Together they have blazed a trail for a new form of community-focused union organizing that recognizes child care workers’ right to fair wages, children’s right to the best early learning experiences possible, and parents’ right to affordable and readily available, high-quality care.”
Following the vote count, several of the providers said they are thrilled to be part of a union with the ability to fight for a better way of life for them and their colleagues as well as better conditions for the children they serve.
“I’ve been doing this for four years now, and I couldn’t be happier about this vote because what the UFT will be able to do for us will improve the lives of thousands of children throughout New York City,” said Tammie Miller, a 40-year-old native New Yorker and a mother of two children attending city public schools who cares for children in her home in the Kensington section of Brooklyn.
“We are the children’s first teachers, so we represent hope in their lives just as the UFT represents hope in our lives. Without a union, without all this hard work, there was no hope for us,” Miller continued. “We always teach our children that if they work really hard they can be whatever they want. And that’s what we’ve been doing, working hard for two years now for what we want. We are living examples of that. Being in a union was just a dream at one point, and now it’s here.”
The UFT and ACORN already helped the providers by successfully lobbying the city and the state over the summer to pay some of them $160,000 in back pay. The UFT’s Teacher Center also sponsored free classes in childhood development, early preparation for literacy and other subjects for about 3,500 providers.
Weingarten said the next step will involve surveying the 28,000 providers to determine their contract priorities, goals and professional needs before seeking to begin negotiations with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
The UFT and ACORN had worked to unionize the providers for about two years in what had been the largest organizing drive in New York City since the UFT became a union in 1960 with 45,000 members.
After counting authorization cards it received from more than 12,000 New York City home day care workers last May, SERB certified that the UFT and ACORN surpassed the margin required for the workers to hold an election to join a union. The cards were filed May 17, less than a week after Governor Eliot Spitzer signed an executive order allowing more than 60,000 providers across the state to organize. Prior to the Governor’s action, the providers could not organize because the state treated them as independent contractors. His executive order effectively made the providers quasi-employees of the state, which permits the UFT to negotiate for them.
Signatures on the authorization cards from 30 percent of the total 28,000 city providers – fewer than 9,000 – were needed to trigger an election. SERB conducted a count of the city providers’ cards between July 12 and July 19 and determined that the margin was surpassed with 8,860 providers voting to hold an election. SERB scheduled the election and the UFT and ACORN embarked on a get-out-the-vote effort involving advertisements in local newspapers, rallies and door-to-door campaigning through the end of August.
SERB tallied the mailed in secret ballot cards yesterday. A simple majority was required for the UFT to become the providers’ collective bargaining representative. As a result of the vote, the UFT now represents the 28,000 providers in New York City. The Civil Service Employees Association is seeking to organize day care providers in the rest of the state.
New York is the eighth state to let home-based providers unionize. They receive government subsidies to watch, care for and educate children from low-income families in pre-school and after-school settings. They provide meals and snacks, help children with reading, learning colors and numbers, help with homework, direct safe play and change diapers.
Culminating the city’s largest labor organizing drive in decades, New York City’s 28,000 home-based child care providers have voted overwhelmingly to form a union with the United Federation of Teachers as their collective bargaining agent, UFT President Randi Weingarten announced today.
According to the New York State Employment Relations Board (SERB), which tallied secret ballot cards mailed in between September 5 and October 15, the providers voted 8,382 to 96 to form a union that will be represented in contract talks by the UFT, which represents the city’s 110,000 public school educators.
“This vote caps a two-year drive to secure an economic and political voice for home child care providers,” Weingarten said, adding, “The UFT will soon begin negotiations for them and will seek the economic dignity and professional opportunities and respect they so deeply deserve but now lack.
“It is a privilege for the UFT to represent these hard-working providers,” she continued. “They share a bond with teachers in that they help educate and care for thousands of our city’s youngest children. We are grateful for this vote of confidence and we are committed to fighting for their interests and the interests of the kids they serve and integrating the providers into our union family.
“We and our affiliates at New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers want to help these providers help children make the transition to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten by ramping up what we started, giving the providers opportunities for professional development as well as access to curricula and training. The unionization and professionalizing of providers will give thousands of children who will enter our public school system the head start they need,” Weingarten said.
“We are thrilled that the providers have taken this ultimate step toward obtaining the compensation, dignity and respect they deserve,” said Bertha Lewis, executive director of the New York Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which worked hand-in-hand with the UFT on a two-year grass-roots campaign to organize the providers.
“This is one of the first genuine collaborations between a community organization and a major labor union, and the result is important for both,” Lewis continued. “Today we celebrate a major accomplishment that bodes well for all workers striving to become part of the middle class in New York City. This partnership between ACORN and the UFT shows that great things can be accomplished when progressive labor groups and community organizations work together.”
“Today marks a great victory for the over 28,000 providers who have joined the UFT, and I thank Randi Weingarten and ACORN for all their work these last few years to make this a reality,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. “In voting to be represented by the UFT, these hard-working New Yorkers have cast a vote for a living wage, for quality health care, for the ability to retire with a pension,” she continued. “This is also a victory for New York City families whose children will now benefit from providers who have access to professional development, curriculum and training.”
Weingarten noted that the providers are among the lowest-paid workers in the region. A 2006 ACORN study showed that the average annual wage for family and group family providers in New York City is $19,933. The federal poverty line for a family of four in 2004 was $18,850. The providers have no health benefits, pension plan or paid vacations.
Luz Alvarez, a 53-year-old native New Yorker who provides care for children in her Manhattan home, said, “Thank Heaven we finally have a union. I’ve been a provider for eight years and in that time I’ve had one vacation, which was to attend my daughter’s wedding. The union can help us go in and negotiate a salary and other benefits so we can take a vacation once a year or take a sick day without losing pay.”
Weingarten said anything the UFT can do to improve services and working conditions for the providers will result in huge, long-term benefits for the children they care for. She cited the Perry Pre-School Study in Michigan, which tracked children from the ages of 3 or 4, when they began pre-school, into their 20s. The study participants had increased cognitive skills and higher academic achievement, improved graduation rates, more college enrollments and greater rates of employment. That study also estimated a savings of $7 for every dollar invested in early education through reduced special education needs, lower incarceration rates and reduced welfare and unemployment costs.
Weingarten thanked and congratulated ACORN and those who spearheaded the union-organizing effort, including UFT Vice President Michelle Bodden, Special Assistant to the President, Amina Rachman, special coordinator Fran Streich and several providers who merited special recognition for their contributions including Tammie Miller, Melvina Vandross, Nila Edwards, Shirley Middleton, Adele Kearny, Cheryl Ipperson, Gladys Jones, Jenni Rivera, Lourdes Lebron and Andrea Royal.
“Our providers did a lot of hard work over the past two years going door to door to enlist the support of their colleagues, getting cards signed, holding house meetings, attending rallies, writing letters, lobbying elected officials and making phone calls. They have done a real service for their brothers and sisters in the cause,” Weingarten said.
Weingarten also thanked key elected officials for supporting the organizing effort including Gov. Eliot Spitzer, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat who had introduced legislation in the state Legislature to allow the providers to organize. Espaillat’s bill was approved by the Legislature but Gov. George Pataki vetoed it. Gov. Spitzer later approved the measure as an executive order.
Weingarten went on to thank state Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith, state Senator Bill Perkins, former state senators Carl Andrews and Nick Spano, City Council Speaker Quinn and City Council members Bill de Blasio, Robert Jackson and Joel Rivera for supporting the organizing effort.
“It took a lot of hard work by a lot of people to get to this point, and there’s still much more work ahead of us,” said Bodden, who helped coordinate the union organizing effort. “But even so, we should take a moment to savor this victory and congratulate the providers for taking this bold step toward their empowerment.”
“Today the voices of thousands of city day-care providers have been heard,” said Richard Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers, the UFT’s statewide affiliate. “These new union members join forces statewide with more than half a million NYSUT members who work in education and health care. As unionists, their voices will be amplified as together we seek the pay and respect that recognizes the important work they do.”
Nat LaCour, secretary treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, the UFT’s national affiliate, said the inclusion of the providers in the AFT marks the largest addition of workers unaffiliated with any other union or organization in the AFT’s history.
“There is an old saying in early childhood education: ‘Parents can’t afford to pay, workers can’t afford to stay, there’s got to be a better way.’ Today I believe that the UFT and ACORN have created that elusive better way,” LaCour said. “Together they have blazed a trail for a new form of community-focused union organizing that recognizes child care workers’ right to fair wages, children’s right to the best early learning experiences possible, and parents’ right to affordable and readily available, high-quality care.”
Following the vote count, several of the providers said they are thrilled to be part of a union with the ability to fight for a better way of life for them and their colleagues as well as better conditions for the children they serve.
“I’ve been doing this for four years now, and I couldn’t be happier about this vote because what the UFT will be able to do for us will improve the lives of thousands of children throughout New York City,” said Tammie Miller, a 40-year-old native New Yorker and a mother of two children attending city public schools who cares for children in her home in the Kensington section of Brooklyn.
“We are the children’s first teachers, so we represent hope in their lives just as the UFT represents hope in our lives. Without a union, without all this hard work, there was no hope for us,” Miller continued. “We always teach our children that if they work really hard they can be whatever they want. And that’s what we’ve been doing, working hard for two years now for what we want. We are living examples of that. Being in a union was just a dream at one point, and now it’s here.”
The UFT and ACORN already helped the providers by successfully lobbying the city and the state over the summer to pay some of them $160,000 in back pay. The UFT’s Teacher Center also sponsored free classes in childhood development, early preparation for literacy and other subjects for about 3,500 providers.
Weingarten said the next step will involve surveying the 28,000 providers to determine their contract priorities, goals and professional needs before seeking to begin negotiations with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.
The UFT and ACORN had worked to unionize the providers for about two years in what had been the largest organizing drive in New York City since the UFT became a union in 1960 with 45,000 members.
After counting authorization cards it received from more than 12,000 New York City home day care workers last May, SERB certified that the UFT and ACORN surpassed the margin required for the workers to hold an election to join a union. The cards were filed May 17, less than a week after Governor Eliot Spitzer signed an executive order allowing more than 60,000 providers across the state to organize. Prior to the Governor’s action, the providers could not organize because the state treated them as independent contractors. His executive order effectively made the providers quasi-employees of the state, which permits the UFT to negotiate for them.
Signatures on the authorization cards from 30 percent of the total 28,000 city providers – fewer than 9,000 – were needed to trigger an election. SERB conducted a count of the city providers’ cards between July 12 and July 19 and determined that the margin was surpassed with 8,860 providers voting to hold an election. SERB scheduled the election and the UFT and ACORN embarked on a get-out-the-vote effort involving advertisements in local newspapers, rallies and door-to-door campaigning through the end of August.
SERB tallied the mailed in secret ballot cards yesterday. A simple majority was required for the UFT to become the providers’ collective bargaining representative. As a result of the vote, the UFT now represents the 28,000 providers in New York City. The Civil Service Employees Association is seeking to organize day care providers in the rest of the state.
New York is the eighth state to let home-based providers unionize. They receive government subsidies to watch, care for and educate children from low-income families in pre-school and after-school settings. They provide meals and snacks, help children with reading, learning colors and numbers, help with homework, direct safe play and change diapers.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Seneca Valley strike is still going on.
Seven days on the line in Lake Lehman.
Nippersink's strike is over.
Am I missing anyone?
Seven days on the line in Lake Lehman.
Nippersink's strike is over.
Am I missing anyone?
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Strikes, strikes and more strikes.
More about banning teacher strikes in PA. Bah humbug, I say!
Lake Lehman has until November 6th, or November 26th to stay on strike, depending on your preference. Whenever it ends, it will change the school calendar. I think they should get a fair deal so they can get back in the classroom now, but that's just one blogger's feelings.
Carlisle Teachers Association in Ohio submitted a strike notice, they may begin their strike November 2nd if it passes their vote. Strikewatch has been updated, need you ask? :)
This is interesting reading-- historical perspective of the first and only teachers' strike in Columbus-- from 30+ years ago! Their local has come under national scrutiny due to the county Democratic Party withdrawing a school board candidate's endorsement 3 weeks before the election. Grow up people, it ain't always the "big bad unions"!
Lake Lehman has until November 6th, or November 26th to stay on strike, depending on your preference. Whenever it ends, it will change the school calendar. I think they should get a fair deal so they can get back in the classroom now, but that's just one blogger's feelings.
Carlisle Teachers Association in Ohio submitted a strike notice, they may begin their strike November 2nd if it passes their vote. Strikewatch has been updated, need you ask? :)
This is interesting reading-- historical perspective of the first and only teachers' strike in Columbus-- from 30+ years ago! Their local has come under national scrutiny due to the county Democratic Party withdrawing a school board candidate's endorsement 3 weeks before the election. Grow up people, it ain't always the "big bad unions"!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Strikes. Charters.
Seneca Valley is still out, health care and salary are the sticking points, or so says the press. The parents have established this blog, though it's late and I can't figure out exactly whose side they're on.
Lake Lehman is still on strike, and when your PSEA regional rep tells the press they can't tell how long the strike could last, that's BAD NEWS. The good news? The AFL-CIO showed up for the LLEA. That's called solidarity, folks. This is an interesting article about the "negotiating in public" charge that the LL SB has rightfully earned in PA.
Earlville is out; they're out, out of the classroom! (Apologies to Seinfeld fans.)
Good news, Reynolds EA is back in, apparently they reached some kind of a TA.
As PA is strike-bound, the talk about banning 'em gains steam. This opinion piece speaks out in favor of it! Boo!
New Orleans is the worst-hit city by charters, but would you believe Dayton, Ohio is the 2nd worst-hit by charters? Neither did I.
Remember Harrison Hills' two week strike? I do. They just ratified their contract, but no details yet.
This coach crossed the picket line. It's a moral decision, one that everyone has to make.
Nippersink is still on strike.
Janesville EA is working to the rule. I have absolutely no idea where Janesville is. Do you?
Lake Lehman is still on strike, and when your PSEA regional rep tells the press they can't tell how long the strike could last, that's BAD NEWS. The good news? The AFL-CIO showed up for the LLEA. That's called solidarity, folks. This is an interesting article about the "negotiating in public" charge that the LL SB has rightfully earned in PA.
Earlville is out; they're out, out of the classroom! (Apologies to Seinfeld fans.)
Good news, Reynolds EA is back in, apparently they reached some kind of a TA.
As PA is strike-bound, the talk about banning 'em gains steam. This opinion piece speaks out in favor of it! Boo!
New Orleans is the worst-hit city by charters, but would you believe Dayton, Ohio is the 2nd worst-hit by charters? Neither did I.
Remember Harrison Hills' two week strike? I do. They just ratified their contract, but no details yet.
This coach crossed the picket line. It's a moral decision, one that everyone has to make.
Nippersink is still on strike.
Janesville EA is working to the rule. I have absolutely no idea where Janesville is. Do you?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Striking: Lake Lehman, Seneca Valley, Nippersink!
Lake Lehman is still on strike. They'll be on strike on Thursday, too. The IBEW supports the strikers! The two sides didn't meet to negotiate, either.
Seneca Valley is supposed to meet with the BOE today, I think. Or at least should have met.
Nippersink is still out as well.
Seneca Valley is supposed to meet with the BOE today, I think. Or at least should have met.
Nippersink is still out as well.
Lot Of Comments On This Site Lately...
Just a brief word to all of the folks who have been commenting on the posts on this blog:
Keep it up. Keep it respectful. Keep it clean. I have not yet deleted any comments (minus spam) on this blog since I began it over a year ago; I would like to maintain this as a forum for people to voice their thoughts on what I write (even if I don't agree with them). Everyone has been doing a great job adhering to my 3 rules-- please keep doing so.
Keep it up. Keep it respectful. Keep it clean. I have not yet deleted any comments (minus spam) on this blog since I began it over a year ago; I would like to maintain this as a forum for people to voice their thoughts on what I write (even if I don't agree with them). Everyone has been doing a great job adhering to my 3 rules-- please keep doing so.
Lake Lehman Education Association Strike
A kindly soul reminded me of LLEA's website. Make sure you go there to get the union's side of the story, which too often is overlooked in the media!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Nippersink, Lake Lehman Strike.
Nippersink in IL is still on strike.
The Lake Lehman strike is still on:
The Lake Lehman strike is still on:
- The LL BOE President's union supports the teachers. More here. Mr. Charles Balvage, your name is mud, sir.
Seneca Valley Strike Updates.
The strike is still going on.
- The football coach for SVHS decided to cross the picket lines to hold practice and coach his team. They might make it to the playoffs. It's a moral decision each person has to make, being involved in a job action like this. I only hope the frostiness he encounters from his (perhaps not so colegial) colleagues once the strike is over is worth the next few games in the season. Teachers have a way of remembering who crossed picket lines for years and years.
- The union and district will meet on Wednesday at 1 PM with a state department of education mediator.
- More about the strike here.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Seneca Valley, Nippersink, Lake Lehman Teachers On Strike!
Seneca Valley's on strike-- they didn't meet over the weekend to negotiate, either. More here.
Lake Lehman's on strike as well. More here. The school board President's union (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 16) has stepped back from the BOE prez, saying his views don't represent those of their union.
Nippersink is still on strike.
Lake Lehman's on strike as well. More here. The school board President's union (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 16) has stepped back from the BOE prez, saying his views don't represent those of their union.
Nippersink is still on strike.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Stuff of sunday!
Southwestern College in Cali will be voting on whether or not to disaffiliate themselves with CTA soon.
Nippersink Education Association is on strike. I need to update Strikewatch!
Pittsburg Federation of Teachers met yesterday in P-burg. They're going to take a strike vote by mail.
Earlville teachers plan to walk on Friday if they don't get a contract on Thursday's bargaining session.
Students walk out of Seneca Valley High School before the teachers do. The teachers have been working for two years without a contract.
What about these words of wisdom?
Nippersink Education Association is on strike. I need to update Strikewatch!
Pittsburg Federation of Teachers met yesterday in P-burg. They're going to take a strike vote by mail.
Earlville teachers plan to walk on Friday if they don't get a contract on Thursday's bargaining session.
Students walk out of Seneca Valley High School before the teachers do. The teachers have been working for two years without a contract.
What about these words of wisdom?
It was unions, after all, not congress, the church, or philanthropic organizations, who first outlawed child labor, mandated equal pay for women, and introduced industrial safety codes to the workplace. Heroically, unions beat everybody to the punch. Protecting workers is what unions strive to do.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Teach For America
I haven't blogged much about TFA. In fact, I don't think I've done it at all, which makes now a great time to start.
Not a big fan of Alexander Russo, but he does a good job of critically picking apart TFA in a recent post over at The Huffington Post. My Opinion is that it's a lot of well-meaning people who have great academe credentials but that they're not around long enough to make a lasting impact.
He writes:
Not a big fan of Alexander Russo, but he does a good job of critically picking apart TFA in a recent post over at The Huffington Post. My Opinion is that it's a lot of well-meaning people who have great academe credentials but that they're not around long enough to make a lasting impact.
He writes:
More recently, the underlying question of whether TFA members stay around long enough to make a real difference has re-emerged. TFA members are only asked to stay in the classroom for two years, far too brief a time to make much of a difference to anyone besides the individual students they teach. A substantial number don't make much past that. In 2005, The Onion parodied the situation: "TFA Chews Up, Spits Out Another Ethnic-Studies Major."
Saturday morning.
New DC Supe Michelle Rhee is stirring it up; she's asking to classify about 900 or so non-unionized employees as at-will workers so she can fire 'em when and how she wants. That's one thing, but she was quoted in this article that she'd be asking for the same thing in DC for their teachers. She already has the power to fire a teacher in 90 days-- which is unheard of, why does she want to do it more quickly?
Merge Divide over at Serendipity in PA ruminates on the idea of teacher strikes being illegal and says "heck no". To quote, "Exactly what leverage would teachers have in contract negotiations if striking became illegal? How would they maintain the type of salaries and benefits that attract the brightest minds to the field of education?"
Mea Culpa to my union brother PREA Prez for not picking up on the Maine Township lack off a contract; please check it out at his site.
It's getting really ugly in Tiverton, RI-- they went on a brief strike last year and have been fighting with their BOE ever since. More here, same paper kinda same article.
In the somewhat morbid but cool file: I just say NYSUT runs obits on its web page.
Yet another "wow, where has KIPP been all of our lives" type of article. Yeah, ask 'em about "the bench".
The clock continues to tick for Seneca Valley. They've been without a contract for over a year-- I think that's pretty patient, don't you?
Merge Divide over at Serendipity in PA ruminates on the idea of teacher strikes being illegal and says "heck no". To quote, "Exactly what leverage would teachers have in contract negotiations if striking became illegal? How would they maintain the type of salaries and benefits that attract the brightest minds to the field of education?"
Mea Culpa to my union brother PREA Prez for not picking up on the Maine Township lack off a contract; please check it out at his site.
It's getting really ugly in Tiverton, RI-- they went on a brief strike last year and have been fighting with their BOE ever since. More here, same paper kinda same article.
In the somewhat morbid but cool file: I just say NYSUT runs obits on its web page.
Yet another "wow, where has KIPP been all of our lives" type of article. Yeah, ask 'em about "the bench".
The clock continues to tick for Seneca Valley. They've been without a contract for over a year-- I think that's pretty patient, don't you?
Thursday, October 11, 2007
TA Reached in Harrison Hills!
Read about it here. Parents have begun to question the strike curriculum in Harrison Hills; the simple answer is that "Just Push Play" is not a viable curriculum or a lesson plan but simply a scab tactic to cover up the fact that they are but a warm body placed in a room that they do not have the skills or necessary abilities to teach in.
Full of P*ss and Vinegar.
I'm not sure why, but for some reason I'm more militant in this post than in others. Enjoy.
Reynolds Education Association is still on strike.
The Manchester Education Association bum-rushed a BOE meeting with 500 peeps 'cause they haven't had a contract in nearly 100 days.
"Lake-Lehman Strike Seems Inevitable" reads the headline. Well, simply put it wouldn't be inevitable if the BOE didn't negotiate in public.
In Carlsbad, the BOE got spanked on a prohibitive employer practice-- they're fairly rare and you have to be pretty stupid to do it.
Wellington EA in Ohio is back on track; a strike is not in their future.
This grammatically/ punctuationally challenged anti-union blogger asks the question "Do teacher’s deserve contracts?". Yes, "The Watcher" they do, 'cause your English teacher obviously didn't get paid enough to teach you correct usage of an apostrophe! (It is easy for me to make a typo, but when it comes to grammar and punctuation I am somewhat of a stickler.)
American Samoa had a strike, but it didn't go so well.
Reynolds Education Association is still on strike.
The Manchester Education Association bum-rushed a BOE meeting with 500 peeps 'cause they haven't had a contract in nearly 100 days.
"Lake-Lehman Strike Seems Inevitable" reads the headline. Well, simply put it wouldn't be inevitable if the BOE didn't negotiate in public.
In Carlsbad, the BOE got spanked on a prohibitive employer practice-- they're fairly rare and you have to be pretty stupid to do it.
Wellington EA in Ohio is back on track; a strike is not in their future.
This grammatically/ punctuationally challenged anti-union blogger asks the question "Do teacher’s deserve contracts?". Yes, "The Watcher" they do, 'cause your English teacher obviously didn't get paid enough to teach you correct usage of an apostrophe! (It is easy for me to make a typo, but when it comes to grammar and punctuation I am somewhat of a stickler.)
American Samoa had a strike, but it didn't go so well.
"Real World vs. Our World"
A reader in Ohio emailed me about this article in the Ohio Education Association monthly "Ohio Schools" magazine. My new friend homeslice at OEA (she's not a Dr. yet like me) sent it over. For all the idiots out there in "thinktankland" who think that education should be run like a business or according to free-market principles, back at ya. This one goes out to HHTA and REA teachers on the line.
Article originally appeared in the October 2007 issue of Ohio Schools magazine, written by OEA member Robert Meyer.
"Real World"
"Our World"
Article originally appeared in the October 2007 issue of Ohio Schools magazine, written by OEA member Robert Meyer.
"Real World"
- I could pick and choose who I hired as an employee based on qualifications, education and job position needs.
If an employee didn’t perform his or her job satisfactorily, I had the option of terminating that employee.
As a manager, I could choose whether or not to be sensitive to an employee’s needs, but ultimately, the employee had to put work first or risk losing a job.
I never gave a thought to leaving my managerial position until my 19th year.
I educated myself regarding managerial techniques and adopted the best.
Continuing education was not a requirement of my job.
In the "real" world, businesses often pass on their increased costs to customers.
I rarely had a parent contact me with questions or comments regarding their son or daughter in the work environment.
In the event that, as a manager, I contacted a parent about problems with an employee, my assessment of the situation was not questioned.- The workplace tends to incorporate employees who are generally of the same education and ability level needed to perform the job functions.
Management would not tolerate it if employees were unprepared.
We were not required by law to make modifications for workers who could not meet work requirements.
If modifications for employees were mandated, the businesses would pass the costs on to the customers.
The focus often is not on the needs of the individual, but rather on the overall needs of the business.
In the "real" world, I routinely worked 50 plus hours a week.
Business depends on teachers to provide educated, responsible employees.
I rarely wore hats other than manager.
As a manager, I rarely had to be concerned about the role in which my employees saw me outside of work.
I didn’t need to spend my own funds to purchase materials for my job duties.
Business owners or management are rarely criticized or urged to make financial sacrifices "for the employees."
During my business career, I had the luxury of scheduling my own break times.
After 19 years in business, I questioned what I was contributing to my community beyond helping a few superiors to become wealthier and increasing corporate profits.
In business, few people take it upon themselves to contact businesses and inform the owners how to properly run the business.
"Our World"
If a student doesn’t perform his or her work satisfactorily, he or she still returns to school each day.
In education, if we don’t consider the emotional needs of our students at any given time during the day, we risk losing a connection that will affect the entire remaining school year.
I almost turned in my resignation as a middle school teacher after my first year. It was the most challenging job that I had attempted.- Likewise, as a teacher, I am continually researching new methods and considering how to adapt the best ideas for my students.
I am required to continuously seek continuing education.
We are at the mercy of voters who can vote "no" to supporting increased costs and still expect to receive the same level or a higher level of service.
We routinely deal with parents who have suggestions or comments—both positive and negative.
Parents often question the teacher’s ability, decision making, and assessment of the situation.
I have classes of students with a full range of cognitive abilities and capabilities.
In education, all types of modifications must be made to ensure each student’s best chance of success.
All modifications must be made at whatever cost is required, even if the "customers" vote "no" to requests to help pay for such needs.
Each individual student’s needs must be met in order for us to be considered successful.
I routinely work 50-60 hours per week, weekends, holidays and during summer "vacation."
In education, we do not depend on businesses to supply us with educated and responsible students.
As a teacher, I have been parent, counselor, cheerleader, coach and have filled a host of other roles.
I am always seen in that role by students and must always keep that in mind when in public.
I have spent several hundred dollars per year to acquire materials for my classroom.
Educators are routinely urged to accept economic sacrifices—since we are in it for the kids. For every hour that I teach, coach, give up lunchtime, and work outside the classroom, I am working for the kids. However, I do not accept that teachers should have to struggle financially in order to be there for the kids.
In my classroom, every minute must be planned for, and I run on my students’ schedules.
I have no doubt as to what I and other teachers contribute on a daily basis; we have tangible proof in the faces of the students we impact each day.
With education, many people feel that they know how best to operate a school district and educate children.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Teacher Strikes! Teacher Strikes!
Jeez, you'd think it's spring with all of the job actions going on.
A bit about Reynolds Education Association strike.
Harrison Hills is still on strike and a mediator is scheduled to meet with the two sides Thursday at 1 PM. Ironically, someone just walked into the schools and began teaching-- the only way they knew about it was that the scab hit a picketer. More here. The Ohio Department of Education is sending a team to Harrison Hills to make sure all of their scabs, er subs are certified. The football team is supposed to play this Friday at home, but the visiting team's Superintendent said he won't send his kids there to cross picket lines to play.
A bit about Reynolds Education Association strike.
Harrison Hills is still on strike and a mediator is scheduled to meet with the two sides Thursday at 1 PM. Ironically, someone just walked into the schools and began teaching-- the only way they knew about it was that the scab hit a picketer. More here. The Ohio Department of Education is sending a team to Harrison Hills to make sure all of their scabs, er subs are certified. The football team is supposed to play this Friday at home, but the visiting team's Superintendent said he won't send his kids there to cross picket lines to play.
Comment Wars on my Blog!
Go to this post and read the comment wars that are beginning. Short post, long comments.
Reynolds Education Association on STRIKE!
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Rarity: Teacher Union Political Endorsements Reversed By Membership!
Yep, it's a rarity, but shows that the democratic process within a union works.
Lake Lehman Madness!
Yep.
Madness.
Why?
The BOE released their contract proposal to the PUBLIC-- didn't even send it to the union. That's called "negotiating in public" and LLEA will be filing a ULP, and rightly so. The BOE says they just want to keep things "transparent". Their offers are crazy and unworkable, no wonder the district went on strike last year. If I were a member and saw this, I'd want to strike again!
They also want to censure the Union President for an alleged slur he used that was directed towards a member of the BOE.
If you are a union type and read nothing else today, read the original article.
Madness.
Why?
The BOE released their contract proposal to the PUBLIC-- didn't even send it to the union. That's called "negotiating in public" and LLEA will be filing a ULP, and rightly so. The BOE says they just want to keep things "transparent". Their offers are crazy and unworkable, no wonder the district went on strike last year. If I were a member and saw this, I'd want to strike again!
They also want to censure the Union President for an alleged slur he used that was directed towards a member of the BOE.
If you are a union type and read nothing else today, read the original article.
Harrison Hills: Day 8
They're still on strike-- read more here. A scab hit a picketer with a car a few days back and it turns out that the guy was never actually hired by the district to substitute teach. Go figure. Attendance is on the rise in Harrison; all that means are more students are going into classes and watching movies. Your tax dollars at work, ladies and gentlemen!
Reynolds Education Association will strike on October 9th!
Classes have been cancelled due to the Reynolds Education Association's strike. More here.
Monday, October 08, 2007
Seneca Valley Teachers Will Strike!
Teachers have authorized a strike to begin 10/15/07. Teachers have been without a contract for 2 years; read more here. Strikewatch has been updated!
Seneca Valley Teachers
I've been getting a lot of hits about Seneca Valley lately. Stay tuned, more will come later.
Harrison Hills Teacher Strike: Week Two Update
Both side are in court, at issue is the picketing. They met for 8 hours yesterday but made little progress.
Get the latest at the Harrison Hills Teacher Association website.
Get the latest at the Harrison Hills Teacher Association website.
Sunday, October 07, 2007
Sunday nite.
Epiphany continues to blog on the job actions in Baltimore and the pending demonstrative pickets and scheduled no-confidence vote in the Superintendent.
There's a ten-day old teacher strike in Bulgaria. I don't do much international reporting, but when you say you as a teacher are on the dark side of Bulgarian society (the same society that gave birth to Bela Lugosi) I say what the heck...
Israel's Secondary Teachers Union is going to probably strike. Does that make sense to anyone but me?
UFT money going for low-cost teacher housing? Sounds false but is true. How does NYC Educator feel about it? Will they segregate based on whether or not they are city school teachers or charter school teachers? The questions are endless.
It's getting huffy in LA. Or should I say Duffy? (heh) The payroll problems aren't fixed, so the war of words, including "job action" has begun. Although, the continuous performance pledge they've got (which is pretty much boilerplate in all teacher contracts) really will hinder the, if they want to do something. In all fairness, if I wasn't getting my check on a regular basis, I'd be hacked off too.
Reynolds Education Association might strike on Tuesday; they've got a meeting tomorrow. I'll keep ya posted.
There's a ten-day old teacher strike in Bulgaria. I don't do much international reporting, but when you say you as a teacher are on the dark side of Bulgarian society (the same society that gave birth to Bela Lugosi) I say what the heck...
Israel's Secondary Teachers Union is going to probably strike. Does that make sense to anyone but me?
UFT money going for low-cost teacher housing? Sounds false but is true. How does NYC Educator feel about it? Will they segregate based on whether or not they are city school teachers or charter school teachers? The questions are endless.
It's getting huffy in LA. Or should I say Duffy? (heh) The payroll problems aren't fixed, so the war of words, including "job action" has begun. Although, the continuous performance pledge they've got (which is pretty much boilerplate in all teacher contracts) really will hinder the, if they want to do something. In all fairness, if I wasn't getting my check on a regular basis, I'd be hacked off too.
Reynolds Education Association might strike on Tuesday; they've got a meeting tomorrow. I'll keep ya posted.
Harrison Hills Teacher Strike: Day 5
They've spent 5 days on the picket line and today (Sunday) they will meet with a federal mediatator for another attempt at negotiation.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Harrison Hills Still on Strike.
This is about day three; pickets, egress and ingress into schools.
Sorry I've been behind, but my "real" life (being a teacher, being active in my union) has kept me from getting on here as much as I'd like.
In solidarity,
Doc.
Sorry I've been behind, but my "real" life (being a teacher, being active in my union) has kept me from getting on here as much as I'd like.
In solidarity,
Doc.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
ULP filed against HHTA by HH BOE.
The HH BOE is alleging misrepresentation by the HHTA to its members. More later.
AFT endorses Hillary Clinton.
Hmmm....wonder what the NEA will do?
American Federation of Teachers Endorses Hillary Clinton
1.4 million-member union cites proven abilities, bold plans
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Acting on behalf of its more than 1.4 million members, the executive council of the American Federation of Teachers today endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president, citing her proven ability to advance our nation’s key priorities, and her bold plans for a stronger America.
“Our members have told us that they want a leader they can trust to strengthen public education, increase access to healthcare, promote commonsense economic priorities and secure America’s place in the world,” said AFT President Edward J. McElroy. “Hillary Clinton is that leader.”
Clinton thanked the AFT executive council for the union’s endorsement and said that, as president, she will be “committed to improving and strengthening our public schools, providing support for teachers, and ensuring our education system is able to meet the needs of the global economy and that we have commonsense laws that make that possible.”
Clinton added that she looks forward to working with the AFT to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality health insurance; to protect the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively; and to strengthen pension systems and retirement security.
The vote of the 41-member AFT executive council capped a deliberative seven-month process designed to solicit from membership their issues of concern and the candidate they believed would best address those concerns. As part of that effort, the AFT created the “You Decide 2008” page on its Web site, which to date has received more than 50,000 individual visits. AFT leadership also solicited input through meetings at the local level, regional caucuses and individual member outreach.
The AFT invited all the major presidential candidates to meet with its executive council. The seven major Democratic candidates accepted the invitation and individually participated in an extensive question-and-answer session with the council, and with rank-and-file members in attendance. All of the announced candidates also were asked to respond to an AFT candidate questionnaire.
Each of the major Republican candidates also was invited to participate, but all either declined or did not respond to the invitation.
“The candidates we met with have an impressive depth of experience and commitment to strengthening America,” McElroy said. “With so many strong candidates focused on the needs of America’s working families, it was really an embarrassment of riches. In the end, our members and leaders determined that Hillary Clinton is the strongest leader to advance these causes.”
Clinton said that the AFT’s “support and leadership will be invaluable to the success of my campaign.”
She also praised McElroy for his leadership, saying, “For over 40 years, Ed has been a proud trade unionist and champion for teachers, students and the basic ideal that all children have the right to a good education.”
The AFT endorsement activates the union’s considerable member education and political mobilization program on behalf of the endorsed candidate. The AFT immediately will put in motion a grass-roots campaign to engage its members throughout the country to help nominate Hillary Clinton.
American Federation of Teachers Endorses Hillary Clinton
1.4 million-member union cites proven abilities, bold plans
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Acting on behalf of its more than 1.4 million members, the executive council of the American Federation of Teachers today endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for president, citing her proven ability to advance our nation’s key priorities, and her bold plans for a stronger America.
“Our members have told us that they want a leader they can trust to strengthen public education, increase access to healthcare, promote commonsense economic priorities and secure America’s place in the world,” said AFT President Edward J. McElroy. “Hillary Clinton is that leader.”
Clinton thanked the AFT executive council for the union’s endorsement and said that, as president, she will be “committed to improving and strengthening our public schools, providing support for teachers, and ensuring our education system is able to meet the needs of the global economy and that we have commonsense laws that make that possible.”
Clinton added that she looks forward to working with the AFT to ensure that all Americans have affordable, quality health insurance; to protect the right of workers to organize and bargain collectively; and to strengthen pension systems and retirement security.
The vote of the 41-member AFT executive council capped a deliberative seven-month process designed to solicit from membership their issues of concern and the candidate they believed would best address those concerns. As part of that effort, the AFT created the “You Decide 2008” page on its Web site, which to date has received more than 50,000 individual visits. AFT leadership also solicited input through meetings at the local level, regional caucuses and individual member outreach.
The AFT invited all the major presidential candidates to meet with its executive council. The seven major Democratic candidates accepted the invitation and individually participated in an extensive question-and-answer session with the council, and with rank-and-file members in attendance. All of the announced candidates also were asked to respond to an AFT candidate questionnaire.
Each of the major Republican candidates also was invited to participate, but all either declined or did not respond to the invitation.
“The candidates we met with have an impressive depth of experience and commitment to strengthening America,” McElroy said. “With so many strong candidates focused on the needs of America’s working families, it was really an embarrassment of riches. In the end, our members and leaders determined that Hillary Clinton is the strongest leader to advance these causes.”
Clinton said that the AFT’s “support and leadership will be invaluable to the success of my campaign.”
She also praised McElroy for his leadership, saying, “For over 40 years, Ed has been a proud trade unionist and champion for teachers, students and the basic ideal that all children have the right to a good education.”
The AFT endorsement activates the union’s considerable member education and political mobilization program on behalf of the endorsed candidate. The AFT immediately will put in motion a grass-roots campaign to engage its members throughout the country to help nominate Hillary Clinton.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Harrison Hills Strike, Lake Lehman Strike? Baltimore, Angry Ohio
Big row in Ohio over the potential fact that OEA (largest state afiliate) suggested the strategy state AG Dann is using to try to close underperforming charter schools.
Baltimore Teachers' Union is still working to the rule and will begin protesting in the near future to voice their unhappiness at how things are going at the bargaining table.
Lake-Lehman in PA just gave notice for 10/15. You may remember they went on strike for four days in may of last year. Strikewatch has been update
Harrison Hills put in Day 2 on the lines, but there is some good news-- the enrollment within the school district dropped from Day 1 to Day 2. You can't hire Huffmaster to teach the kids that aren't there.
Baltimore Teachers' Union is still working to the rule and will begin protesting in the near future to voice their unhappiness at how things are going at the bargaining table.
Lake-Lehman in PA just gave notice for 10/15. You may remember they went on strike for four days in may of last year. Strikewatch has been update
Harrison Hills put in Day 2 on the lines, but there is some good news-- the enrollment within the school district dropped from Day 1 to Day 2. You can't hire Huffmaster to teach the kids that aren't there.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Harrison Hills Teacher STRIKE DAY 1: WHEN SCABS ATTACK!
Read about the first day on the pickets here, but the real news is that Huffmaster security hit two different teachers on two separate occasions on two different locations. The district had a 36% attendance rate, hopefully it will decrease, the Superintendent wants it to increase. Read about it here.
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