Saturday, July 10, 2010
NEA Convention Delegates Want Real School Reform
The delegates of the 2010 Representative Assembly wants to turn Hope into Action. NEA delegates listens to Diane Ravitch's Speech. An activits and public change agent for public education. http://www.nea.org/grants/40241.htm#
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
STAND UP FOR SCHOOLS AND CALIFORNIA'S FUTURE
The UTR Leadership has encouraged teachers to Stand Up for Schools on March 4th in El Cerrito & Hercules.
What about the heart of this school district, Richmond & San
Pablo?STAND UP FOR CHANGE ON MARCH 4TH
Join teachers from Stege, Grant, Dover, Chavez, Lake, Coronado, Riverside, Washington, King, Verde, Peres, Lincoln, Bayview, Helms MS, DeJean MS, Gompers HS, Kennedy HS, and Richmond HS
6:30-7:30 AM Cutting & San Pablo Avenue, Richmond
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Testimonials
UTR MEMBERS SPEAK OUT
My husband is a small business owner, so we depend on my job for our family's health coverage. We pay $1,900 EVERY MONTH for someone else to take care of our children so I can work. With the added $489 taken out from my paycheck for healthcare, my paycheck is gone by the 5th of the month. I went to Kaiser to apply for healthcare for my family so that I could take a leave of absence. Because our 20-month-old is not walking or talking yet, she was TURNED DOWN by Kaiser so I had no choice but to continue to work for WCCUSD. I did not come to this district because I did not have any choices. I came here, like many of you, because I wanted to work where my hard work and extreme dedication would make a difference in an area that many have given up on. This year, with the way we have been treated, I have not felt inspired. Our jobs are getting harder and harder. Not because of the children and families we work with, but because of the lack of support and offensive disrespect we are getting from the administration and our own union. Our family went to every rally, protest, and meeting we could to support our union AND LOOK WHAT THEY DID!!! I will NOT continue to work here unless there are DRASTIC changes. Tammy Bankhead Chavez Elementary |
A frustrated member reported that during the Helms School Site Council meeting a controversial vote was taken to use QEIA Option 2 Goal funds to hire six teachers to teach classes with 12 students in order to raise test scores. This member has a class size of 35 students, and felt it was a waste of money. The member expressed disgust and decided to sign the recall petition. Member’s name withheld by request |
We ought to cry with those who cry and laugh with those who laugh. We are to bear one another’s burdens. The school district used to protect me and my children through health benefits. A member wrote “the school board punishes its teachers with families” as he circulated around during board meetings. It felt like a punishment when our benefits were unjustly taken from us. Do you see the unfairness? Don’t you think this is an equality issue? Some teachers have stood up for us and said during membership meetings that a universal cut may help build unity in the district. Hear our cry. Protect families by continually providing health benefits to the teachers with dependents. Lydia Chou Nystrom Elementary |
Now what?
The contract was ratified…So now what?
JOIN OUR EFFORTS
SPEAK OUT against class size increases in elementary schools and class size averages in middle & high schools that create overcrowded, unsafe student learning environments and inequitable teacher working conditions.
PUBLICIZE how our newly ratified contract has affected you financially. Tell your story at school board meetings. Write editorials to newspapers. Publish a testimonial on our blog.
ORGANIZE members at your school site who signed the recall petition. Encourage members to remain actively dedicated to rebuilding our union and turn out the vote for New Proactive UTR Leadership.
Rally for Proactive UTR Leadership
4PM, Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Nicholl Park, 31st & MacDonald Ave. Richmond
The Committee to Elect Proactive UTR Leadership
VOTE MARCH 11-17, 2010
End the concessionary leadership of the last 35 years.
REPLACE UTR’s President & the Executive Board
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
UTR MEMBERS SPEAK OUT
How is this? This new contract is terrible. My husband has been unemployed for the last 13 months. He cannot go without insurance as he is a Type 1 diabetic and has chronic eye problems and specialists he sees. My salary before the new contract was just enough to pay rent and bills. I didn't take this job for the money. I feel passionate about education. Yet, cramming 33 first graders into my classroom does not seem to me to be the pursuit of quality education. I never dreamed I'd consider leaving the profession. Amanda Henderson Chavez Elementary |
I am 68 years old and had planned to retire within a couple of years. But now because of the new contract, I see no hope of a future without the need to work the rest of my life. Far too few members voted for me to believe the outcome truly reflects the wishes of the majority. Salvatore Morabito Special education teacher De Anza High School |
This contract has hurt my family financially as well as emotionally. My husband was just laid off from his job. Now, at an even lower pay rate than ever before (practically below the poverty level), I have to provide benefits for my husband and daughter at the cost of almost $600 per month. This is 1/5 of my monthly salary. Now I have to handle our mortgage as well ($3000 per month) so, there goes my paycheck. I’m not sure how my family and I will eat. At this point, I'm pretty sure I can no longer afford to work for WCCUSD, not to mention being a part of UTR as it currently stands ... Patty Caballero Pinole Middle School |
How has your life changed with our new contract?
TELL YOUR STORY
VOTE IN MARCH
ELECT A NEW UTR PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE BOARD WHO WILL FIGHT FOR YOU
The Committee to Elect Proactive UTR Leadership
Friday, January 29, 2010
Union?
What has your union leadership done for you lately?
- Devastated union solidarity with a tiered health care system
- Increased K-3 class size to 31 students
- Given families a 10.3% - 17% pay cut PER YEAR
- Rigged elections
- Made you set up your classrooms on your own time due to furlough days
- Allowed a 38 student class size average in secondary Math, ELD, Social Studies, Science, and English classes
- Forced experienced teachers to retire early
- Cost members dozens of jobs
- Ignored or manipulated By-Laws when it was convenient
- Turned their backs on a 93% STRIKE authorization voted on by 98% of the membership
- Stopped fighting for us
STUDY YOUR PAYCHECK ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2010.
Has our new contract benefited you?
EVERY ONE OF US
has been affected by
a devastating contract that was
voted on by only 45% of the membership,
ratified by only 23% of our members,
and passed by only 8 votes
on only ONE DAY of voting.
VOTE IN MARCH
to make deep and powerful changes
TO REPLACE OUR UNION LEADERSHIP
Challenge our president’s 35 years on the UTR Executive Board!
The Committee to Elect Proactive UTR Leadership
http://theproactiveutrleadership.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Proactive Leaders
WCCUSD Scab Training 2009
Eric Swabeck for UTR Elections 2010
Diane Brown speaks out at the NEA Representative Assembly
Election Reform
UTR Election Reform 2010
CTA Board of Directors Authorize Chapters and/or Service Center Councils (SCC) to conduct local chapter elections through Electronic/online voting procedures as established in the CTA Elections Manual
In the future we can vote to change our voting process and method of voting, CTA has authorized electronic/online voting. VR Election Services (Voice Retrieval & Information Services) is an approved CTA vendor election service that conducts elections.
We must ensure that no voter is disenfranchised; particularly the secondary members, middle schools, and large elementary sites will have access to a secret ballot method of voting. It is time that we support electronic online voting.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Announcement
The Committee to Elect Proactive Leaders
UTR MARCH ELECTION
SUPPORT CHANGE IN THE UNITED TEACHERS OF RICHMOND VOTE IN THE MARCH ELECTIONS!
ALL TEACHERS MUST VOTE!!!
Members now have a choice and an opportunity to make deep and powerful changes in union leadership. The UTR Proactive Committee wants a union leadership who will protect our member’s rights, and join teachers, and students in the fight to save public education.
Challenge the Current President’s History of 35 Years in UTR Leadership!
Press Release
Richmond Teachers to Hold Union Elections after Recent Contract Controversy
Challenge the Current President’s History of 35 Years in UTR Leadership!
The United Teachers of Richmond (UTR) want a change to proactive leadership. The Committee to Elect Proactive Leadership will run a slate in the upcoming March Elections for a new UTR President and Executive Board. The Committee to Elect Proactive Leadership believes it is time that our members have a union conscious leadership committed to true collaboration, communication, and transparency. Recently, there has been increasing controversy and unrest within UTR.
On December 14, 2009 UTR teachers narrowly ratified a disastrous concessionary tentative agreement (TA), new contract, which is disastrous for teachers and students of West Contra Costa Unified School District. This contract was ratified by a narrow margin of eight votes, or 23% of the membership in a faulty rushed vote process.
In May 2009, rank-and-file voted 98% to reject the districts’ demands of givebacks and concessions. In August, 2009 members passed a 93% strike authorization vote.
For 18 months, the UTR leadership paid no attention to members and continually pushed unpopular and unwanted cuts. Members fought to save health insurance premiums, class size maximums and furloughs and got no support from the current UTR leadership.
The UTR leadership opposed members’ willingness to fight against cuts and concessions. In their determination to ram concessions down members’ throat, UTR union leaders broke our democratic bylaws and standing rules. Challenges to the election results and procedures to collect signatures to recall President, Pixie Hayward Shickele have been filed.
UTR members will have the opportunity to make deep and powerful changes in union leadership. More information on candidates and campaign platforms in the March UTR Elections will be posted on our blog @ TheProactiveUTRleadership.blogspot.com
Contact Information: Eric Swabeck, (510) 501-7347 Margaret Browne, (510) 672 1898
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