Tag: strike

Walmart Strike

In what could be “the largest-scale labor action ever,” many Walmart employees around the country are set to strike on Thanksgiving as Walmart is one of many stores set to begin their Black Friday sales as most of the country is set to sit down at their Thanksgiving dinner tables.

In addition to being an enemy of public education, Walmart is potentially the biggest enemy of the labor movement in the world.  It goes without saying that no PJSTA member, no NYSUT member, no member of the AFT or the NEA should be giving their business to Walmart this Thanksgiving, Black Friday, holiday season, or ever!  You would simply be funding those forces who are working against you.

Here is an opportunity to sponsor a Walmart striker!

 

 

CTU Strike: Day 2 Update

First and foremost, CTU President Karen Lewis on MSNBC’s The Ed Show:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-ed-show/48996251/#48996251

Some SEIU Local 1 members who work in Chicago schools as custodians are now preparing to go out on strike as a show of solidarity with the teachers

Journalist and author Chris Hedges: “The teachers’ strike in Chicago is arguably one of the most important labor actions in probably decades,” Hedges says. “If it does not prevail, you can be certain that the template for the attack on the union will be carried out across the country against other teachers’ unions and against the last redoubt of union activity, which is in the public sector, of course — firemen and police.”

The AFL-CIO is asking all union members to wear red on Wednesday.

More people in Chicago support the strike than don’t.

An estimated 50,000 (!) people rallied in front of the Chicago Public Schools offices.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to force more standardized tests and teacher evaluations connected to those tests into Chicago Public Schools.  Interestingly enough, the director of the private school that he sends his own children to opposes testing for teacher evaluations!

The Chicago Teachers Union is On Strike

Tonight Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis announced that the CTU will be on strike tomorrow.  Among the major issues is the new teacher evaluation system that the city is trying to implement and the city’s insistance on eliminating steps and columns in the teachers’ contract.

There is no overstating the importance of this situation to all public school teachers across the country, including those in Comsewogue.

The Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association is proud to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Chicago.  Wear red tomorrow.

Wear Red Tomorrow… and a Sunday Night Update on the CTU

*UPDATE*
No deal has been reached yet. CTU President Karen Lewis has scheduled a press conference at 10 pm. The CTU’s House of Delegates (equivalent to PJSTA’s rep council) would have to approve an agreement and they have not been called to meet yet. More after the presser.

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Please remember to wear red tomorrow to show solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union in their fight for the soul of public education. My outfit is laid out already…

Now for an update…

CTU and officials representing the Chicago Public Schools have been in negotiations for most of the weekend. While some progress was reported yesterday, a settlement was still not reached. The two sides sat down again this morning and neither side has made a statement since then. It is believed the district is sticking to the elimination of steps in the contract, which could obviously be a sticking point.

The “Wear Red for ED to Support the Chicago Teachers” seems to have caught on as locals across the country are attempting to do that tomorrow. There are other ways you can help as well:

  • This site gives you information on how you can buy lunch for a teacher who is picketing.
  • Donate to the CTU’s solidarity fund.
  • Post a message of solidarity.

Finally, as per AFT President Randi Weingarten, the AFT is planning a day of nationwide support later this week…

As always, you can follow the action on Twitter with the #CTU hashtag or by following @CTULocal1. Or of course you could just keep checking thepjsta.org!

A Scab’s Guide to Teaching

In the event of a strike, the Chicago Sun- Times is reporting that the Chicago Public Schools will be opening 144 buildings to be staffed by “principals, assistant principals, Central Office Staff and non-CTU employees, as well as yet-to-be-approved vendors.”  They released a guide for those non-teachers to help them prepare for the classroom on Monday.  Below is a bit of what is included in the guide:

Among its suggestions on “how to prepare:”

• “Wear a watch — your room may not have a functioning clock.’’

• Dress comfortably as “many schools are NOT air-conditioned.’’

• “You will need to bring your own breakfast and lunch. Please note that you cannot rely on access to refrigerators or microwaves.’’

• “Keep personal items to a minimum.’’

• Sessions for kids run from 8:30 to 12:30 but “you should arrive as early as possible” and be prepared to stay late.

• Bring 30 sharpened pencils, 30 pens and a personal pencil sharpener.

• Bring “stickers or other small inexpensive incentive items.’’

• Bring old magazines and newspapers, puzzles and games.

Non-teachers are given a long list of things to do ahead of time to prepare. They should: study and “internalize’’ recommended classroom management techniques; determine their classroom procedures and “practice explaining them,’’ create a Day One sample schedule, write a supply list and collect it, and “attend trainings.’’

To “create a climate of respect,’’ the tool-kit recommends that non-teachers “communicate with words” and “do not yell, threaten or insult, even if joking.’’

And to make students feel comfortable, they should appear “confident and calm by being firm but friendly. You can accomplish this by writing a general schedule on the board.’’

For third- through eighth-graders, non-teachers are urged to walk students in two single files in the classroom, and “greet each student with a smile and a handshake as they enter.’’

As a “get-to-know-you” game, non-teachers are advised to model a “two truths and a lie’’ game, in which participants share three facts about themselves and students have to guess which one is a lie.

Games to be played during physical education include Simon Says, Farmer in the Dell, Mother May I and Four Corners.

I’m sure Chicago teens are going to LOVE playing Farmer in the Dell!

 

Now THAT’S How to Celebrate Labor Day!

An estimated 18,000 people rallied at Daley Plaza in Chicago before marching towards the board of education.  Members of the Chicago Teachers Union were joined by members of the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Nurses Association, the National Association fo Letter Carriers, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and several other labor unions.  The rally was held to show support for the Chicago teachers who are now a week away from a strike.

Reminding us that their fight is our fight, CTU president Karen Lewis called their battle  “a fight for the very soul of public education — not only in Chicago, but everywhere.”

For public educators across the country, there has never been a more meaningful Labor Day than this one.

“We’re tired of being bullied, belittled and betrayed…”

“We’re tired of being bullied, belittled and betrayed. We have done everything asked of us, yet we continue to be vilified and treated with disrespect.” -Karen Lewis, President of the Chicago Teachers Union

I think the above statement is one that we can all get behind. If a settlement is not reached by September 10th over 26,000 members of the CTU will go on strike. You can follow this situation as it unfolds by checking back here throughout the week. This week in your buildings you will hear from your PJSTA leadership on why and how we will be supporting the CTU. Remember that they are on the front lines of the war against public education. To contribute to their solidarity fund click here.