Dear Colleagues: August/September
On August 28, 44 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at- the-time in the largest nonviolent demonstration in our nation’s history.
In the spirit of that dream, we, the Progressive Teachers of UTR, have prepared this Open Letter to all fellow members in our union, United Teachers of Richmond, for three reasons: to introduce ourselves, note critical issues UTR teachers face this year, and to invite your active participation in strengthening our union, whose sole purpose is to ensure our needs and rights as professionals are met and to serve the needs of the children in our communities.
In the spirit of that dream, we, the Progressive Teachers of UTR, have prepared this Open Letter to all fellow members in our union, United Teachers of Richmond, for three reasons: to introduce ourselves, note critical issues UTR teachers face this year, and to invite your active participation in strengthening our union, whose sole purpose is to ensure our needs and rights as professionals are met and to serve the needs of the children in our communities.
Who we are: We are a group of activist, dues-paying proactive UTR leaders, former UTR Executive Board members, in elementary, middle and high schools who came together seven years ago because of the lack of priorities for quality education reform from our local leadership, and the lack of federal funding for public education. We believe our UTR leadership, WCCUSD administration, and teachers should be sufficiently accountable for their actions. We are committed to raising public awareness, and providing divergent input that leads to greater quality education for all students and inclusion for every member. To that end some of us are also at-large members in the CFT, California Federation of Teachers and pay an additional $100 a year in union dues, and consult with CFT on leadership training and development.
- Some of our accomplishments include:
Negotiations training for teachers; conducting a community forum on NCLB; - Organizing with the March4Education, in a 70-mile march to the State Capitol in Sacramento for forgiveness of our 1991 state loan; draw attention to inequities between prison and education funding; more state funding for WCCUSD
- 10% of our members participated in a petition drive for UTR election reform to use a Scantron in all UTR balloting;
- Last April, we co-sponsored an NCLB Community Forum with Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin’s office and the March4Education;
- Last May’s rep council meeting, we added the strike authorization vote;
- In 2005, we held a forum, “Understanding K-12 Budgets,” for teachers and the larger community; we have and continue to work with Justice Matters, a research and policy advocacy group focused on racial justice in education
Current Issues:
Between 2001 and 2007 members have felt disenfranchised; the policy-making body Representative Council's authority has been decimated; members critical of UTR leaders have experienced their jobs being threatened; involuntary and administrative transfers increased; Curriculum and instruction has been colonized by high-stakes testing (e.g., NCLB), inappropriate assessments... Our union must be democratic, not oligarchic... Dissents is the mother of democracy. Progressive Teachers believes it is imperative that rumors and backbiting have no place in union communications. In the 2007 UTR election we ran a campaign that reflects members' interests. Our plans include visiting all school sites to inform about Rep Council actions and CTA/NEA developments, educate, communicating with members via newsletter, forums, and the Internet.
Invitation: For more information, and to join us in taking full ownership of the union for which we each pay a thousand dollars a year dues.
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Union Pride
Labor Day is a time to celebrate union pride. Celebrate the American everyday working people who make this nation great, and the heroes that brought you the weekend…
What is a union?
A union is a group of workers who form an organization to gain:
• Respect on the job,
• Better wages and benefits,
• More flexibility for work and family needs,
• A counterbalance to the unchecked power of employers, and
• A voice in improving the quality of their products and services
¿Qué es un sindicato?
Un sindicato, o unión, o gremio,
es una organización integrada por
un grupo de trabajadores que se
unen para obtener:
_ Respeto en el trabajo;
_ Mejores salarios y beneficios;
_ Más flexibilidad en el trabajo
para poder atender necesidades
de la familia;
_ Un contrapeso al poder sin control
de los empleadores; y
_ Una opinión para mejorar la calidad
de sus productos y servicios.
Labor Day is a time to celebrate union pride. Celebrate the American everyday working people who make this nation great, and the heroes that brought you the weekend…
What is a union?
A union is a group of workers who form an organization to gain:
• Respect on the job,
• Better wages and benefits,
• More flexibility for work and family needs,
• A counterbalance to the unchecked power of employers, and
• A voice in improving the quality of their products and services
¿Qué es un sindicato?
Un sindicato, o unión, o gremio,
es una organización integrada por
un grupo de trabajadores que se
unen para obtener:
_ Respeto en el trabajo;
_ Mejores salarios y beneficios;
_ Más flexibilidad en el trabajo
para poder atender necesidades
de la familia;
_ Un contrapeso al poder sin control
de los empleadores; y
_ Una opinión para mejorar la calidad
de sus productos y servicios.
