In WCCUSD,  Adult School Teachers United (ASTU) remains locked in a battle for its very survival.  Recognized by PERB in 2017, in the early years of negotiations for a first-ever contract ASTU made sizable gains for its membership in wages, restoring  Sick Leave, achieving some Holiday Pay, winning Prep Time  and defending the Older Adults Program.  Then last June the District launched a savage counteroffensive, firing union President Ken Ryan and VP Kristen Pursley.  Forced to retreat by widespread community outrage, WCCUSD followed up what it claimed was an “accidental” firing by an unprecedented wholesale transfer of one-third of the ESL teachers to new classes against the wishes of their adult students and the teachers themselves.  The transfers were unmistakably punitive, retaliation for the teachers having the temerity to organize.

To underscore its hostility to union organizing, in January the District declared that the union could not represent night school teachers who were employed in K-12 during the day.  And then it delivered what it hoped would be the final blow:  it withdrew its recognition of the union.  At that point, ASTU walked out of the negotiations.

While the union’s legal status is being fought out at PERB which certified it 5 years ago, ASTU has not remained passive.  First, it undertook a solidarity strike vote to honor UTR’s picket lines as ASTU had voted a year earlier when UTR almost struck over covid safety.  Then, at the initiative of RHS night school ESL teachers, the union held a “no confidence” vote against the Principal.  As soon as the Fall semester began, he had started harassing and publicly denigrating these teachers, many of them non-native speakers with years of experience in successfully teaching their fellow immigrants.  80% of the ASTU membership voted, and of that total 80% voted no confidence.  So far the District has failed to act on the union vote.

Finally, ASTU is watching with great concern as the County tries to overturn whatever gains were made by UTR by imposing $19m in cuts.  With FCMAT orchestrating developments behind the scenes, almost as soon as the ink was dry on the UTR contract and the membership was demobilized, the County Superintendent seized control of District finances, removing power from the elected School Board, and appointing an overseer with the right to order cuts.  This action underscores the point that what is needed is coordinated statewide strike action to force full funding because otherwise individual locals remain locked in fruitless battles with underfunded, bureaucratic districts which choose to outsource work that should be done by unionized teachers and staff.

An update:  PERB having issued another complaint, two weeks ago the District did a quasi-about face.  It stated that it “has always recognized ASTU’s Bargaining Team pending a ruling by the PERB judge” and thus invited ASTU to a “pre-impasse mediation” (!!).  We have accepted.  ASTU will be demonstrating at the June 7 School Board. We will be demanding that in the mediated bargaining the District honor all the sections of the contract it has previously signed off on (roughly 27 of 33).  Last August the district suddenly declared those previous agreements are not binding.

 All support possible is welcome on June 7th.

      Bob Mandel   

          WCCUSD Adult School teacher

Adult School Teachers United Needs Your Support!

WCCUSD Board Meeting 

June 7 at 5:45  

 Lovonya Dejean Middle School

3400 Macdonald Ave, Richmond

McDonald exit from 80, go west 

Entrance on 33rd Street

Bring signs or wear shirts that show your union or organization!

Solidarity is our muscle!

Let’s build it up!