OAKLAND TEACHERS VOTE ONE-DAY-STRIKE

Oakland teachers vote for one-day strike-Vote To Back March 4 Action Strike For Public Educationhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2010/01/20/oakland-teachers-vote-for-one-day-strike/
Oakland teachers vote for one-day strike
By Katy MurphyWednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 8:56 pm in OEA, OUSD central office, teachers, union contract.
Hundreds of Oakland teachers union members who turned out to a meeting tonight voted to authorize its leadership to call a strike, once it’s legal.
The vote: 726 yes, 45 no.
The Oakland Education Association represents about 2,800 employees, including teachers, counselors and librarians, according to its Web site. If you round up to 800 participants (and if the 2,800 figure is accurate), voter participation comes to about 29 percent.
“It’s a real clear message to the bargaining team that they have the support of the membership,” said union President Betty Olson-Jones.
As I wrote in an earlier blog post, this doesn’t mean there will be a strike, and it could be weeks before the union can take such an action. But Olson-Jones has said she’s not optimistic the district will offer teachers a raise; the district’s chief financial officer has projected a deficit of nearly $40 million for 2010-11.
Next week, we learn more about how the new superintendent plans to make those cuts.
http://oaklandea.com/2010/01/21/oakland-teachers-reject-district-offer-authorize-strike/
Oakland Teachers Reject District Offer, Authorize Strike!
Thanks to all who came out to this afternoon’s OEA membership meeting! Despite the rain, we had a turnout of nearly 800 members, who responded enthusiastically to the information provided by the Bargaining Team and President and voted accordingly. Final tallies of votes taken:

Motion #1: “The OEA Membership confirms the position of the OEA Bargaining Team to reject the last OUSD contract proposal.” By voice vote, the vote was unanimous in favor of rejecting the District’s last offer.

Motion #2: “The OEA Membership authorizes the OEA Executive Board or Rep Council to call work actions up to and including a one day strike to resolve the current contract dispute. A membership meeting will be held following any strike to consider further actions.”
Yes: 726 No: 45 Total: 771 94% Yes

Motion #3: “The OEA Membership supports action(s) in solidarity with the March 4, 2010 Statewide Action in Support of Public Education.”
Yes: 689 No: 51 Abstentions: 31 89% Yes
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Richmond Education Forum

Richmond Education Forum
Defense Of Public Education and Lessons of Privatization

Tuesday January 12, 2010 7:00 PM
Richmond Public Library Community Room
325 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, CA


Public education faces a massive attack from layoffs of teachers, closure of entire schools, cutback on supplies and the drive to privatize entire schools districts as was
proposed by the CTA in Richmond. Panelists from the Oakland Education Association OEA, the United Teachers of Richmond and there will be a report
on the experiences of charters and privatization in the state including the Green Dot schools.

Panelists:
Mary Flanagan, UTR School Delegate
Diane Brown, UTR rank and filer
Eduardo Martinez, UTR rank and file
Craig Gordon, OEA Executive Board
Cecily Myart-Cruz, UTLA West Area Chair-NEA

Sponsored by
Progressive Teachers, United Teachers of Richmond
510-501-7347
http://progressiveteachersrichmond.blogspot.com/
United Public Workers For Action UPWA.info
(415)867-0628