Hello Faculty - I'm happy to report that your negotiating team - Tracy Furutani, Don Bissonnette, Ed Ciok, Dave Eberhardt, Brian Holt, Robin Tartow and me - concluded negotiations today with a contract we feel good about presenting to you for ratification.  What a great group of colleagues to work with, and I don't want to leave out Nancy Adelson and Kimberly McRae who were team members last year.  I also want to thank all of you who wrote emails, made phone calls, spoke at BOT meetings, picketed, and wrote to the team with support and appreciation - your actions mattered.

Union Spotlight (aka "Spotlight") is a member newsletter published by AFT Washington three times a year that contains articles about legislative, political, and union issues, which is mailed to our members.

If you are interested in a topic or would like to submit an article for consideration, please contact the editor, Cortney Marabetta at 206-432-8084 or toll-free at 1-866-99-AFTWA ext. 8084. 

Download our current issue of Union Spotlight newsletter with an insert from the AFT Washington Retiree Chapter.

Representative Kirk Talbot presented a resolution declaring May 9 as Louisiana Gray Day, an annual event in recognition of brain cancer awareness.

LANGHORNE, PA (May 16, 2013) — At a meeting attended by more than 75 percent of the NFT’s membership tonight, NFT members voted by secret ballot to decline the latest contract offer made by the Neshaminy School Board. The vote followed a motion by NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt to put the offer to a vote. In that motion, Schmidt recommended that the vote be conducted by secret ballot.

The Board’s most recent contract proposals include the following demands:

• A refusal to preserve class size limits in the existing contract.  
• The elimination of past practice language that is a traditional aspect of all union contracts. This language would allow teachers and school staff to negotiate changes in school and district operations with management as such changes arise.
• Invalidating and excluding from the contract the memoranda of understanding on district policies and practices that have been developed over the years between teachers and the district.

“Our members realize that this is not about the financial issues, most of which have been resolved,” said NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt after the meeting. “What the Board’s last proposals make clear is that this Board is bound and determined to take away teacher rights and silence teacher voice by breaking our union. Our members have offered huge financial sacrifices to try to reach a contract, but one thing we can’t do is give up the professional rights that allow us to speak up for the educational needs of our students. The Board has threatened to withdraw its salary offer if we don’t give up those rights, but that’s not a trade-off our members were willing to make.”

Board President Ritchie Webb had repeatedly urged Neshaminy teachers to vote on the district’s latest contract offer. “This vote was a vote for our unity and our values,” said NFT President Louise Boyd. “Even at the risk of continuing a five-year salary freeze, teachers can’t betray our professional standards. Our members have spoken. We hope this vote will demonstrate to everyone that the way to a contract is clear. Let’s get back to the table and hammer this out.”

The South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL) is an umbrella organization for labor unions in Dane, Dodge, Sauk, Columbia, Jefferson and Iowa Counties. Currently there are approximately 94 labor organizations representing more than 30,000 workers, affiliated with SCFL. WPEC is affiliated with SCFL and pays per caps for our members in the SCFL area. 

Wallace F. Smith Memorial Scholarship Application

Each year the Maryland Classified Employees Association, Inc. awards its Wallace F. Smith Memorial

Scholarship to individuals seeking admission to, or attending, an accredited school of higher learning who

have a financial need, have set high goals, and have attained scholastic achievement.  MCEA’s Wallace F.

Congratulations to Beavertons bus rodeo team on their success at the Oregon Pupil Transportation Regional Safety Exercises.

(Baton Rouge – May 14, 2013) In the wake of a State Supreme Court ruling that the state is unconstitutionally funding school voucher and course choice programs, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan is asking lawmakers to step back and rethink the controversial education reforms of 2012.

A list of bills being considered by the legislation. Read more.

Legislators should reject a plan that would give faster access to in-demand community college classes to those students willing to pay more for the privilege. Read more