The Parent Trigger legislation is resulting in a rift between parents, teachers and in some cases, the community through-out the country. Our goal is or should be to comprehensively improve schools in a collaborative and sustainable manner. If “choice” and improvement of schools are the goals, then an alternative to the Parent Trigger legislation is in order. Please find enclosed a suggested alternative model to the Parent Trigger. This model is a collaborative, comprehensive approach.

Education Minnesota St. Francis is examining the idea of using a new local Webpage to help get member information out.  Developing this webpage and maintaining an effective web presence can play a very important role in keeping our members informed and active within our Union.  

The North Dakota State Legislature is three days into the second half of the 2013 session. And NDPEA was at work -- with friends! -- to stand up for and protect our state workers' rights, and the current defined-benefit retirement plan our workers contribute to, and have earned through their years of service. Read on for that and an update on a campaign by our friends at NDEA.

As you know, AFT Seattle has been in negotiations with the administration for a year.  AFT Seattle has fought hard for important gains, such as workload equity and a meaningful raise to the stipend rate, along with other items.

At this point, we have decided it's time to go to mediation.  The administration has talked plenty about the need to address workload equity, but they haven't offered to do much about it.  They're willing to raise the stipend rate to $33, but that leaves us well below Shoreline ($39) and Everett Community Colleges ($40) for no good reason.

Save the Date!  The SEC Professional Development Day is coming.  Friday, April 26 at the Pyle Center. 

See the flyer. 

The Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC) has scheduled a meeting of Unit G members March 11, 2013, from noon until 2:00 p.m. in Training Room 2 of the State Highway Administration building, 707 North Calvert Street in Baltimore.

Another meeting is scheduled for March 12th in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Conference Room, C-1, of the Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, in Annapolis, Maryland.

The meetings are intended to update and inform Unit G members of pertinent union policies, and activities, and training schedules.

Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees (BCFPE) President John Ripley is scheduled to testifying before the Baltimore County Delegation in Annapolis March 8, in support of House Bill 1475, the Correctional Officers Bill of Rights.

Representatives of AFT-Maryland testified before the House Appropriations Committee March 5th, supporting fair share in higher educational institutions and new school construction in Baltimore.

Click here to read document.

Recently, our friend Sen. Heidi Heitkamp sent a letter of congratulations to the North Dakota Public Employees Association, on our vote to merge with the North Dakota Education Association to form North Dakota United. We thank her for the kind words and her tireless dedication to representing the citizens of North Dakota in Washington, and please click here to read her letter.