A Cross-District Coalition

Pleasanton Unified School District and the Association of Pleasanton Teachers reached a TA Monday, March 11, the Pleasanton Weekly reported. Teachers will get a total compensation increase of 13.22%, with a 10% salary increase, beginning retroactively, and in full by May 1; full Kaiser single coverage; along with a reduction in high school class size. In Dublin, a TA calling for a 6% raise (also in full by May 1) was agreed upon days later. In both cases, strikes appeared imminent, as negotiations reached the fact-finding stage, which is the last step required before a strike may legally be called. Moraga teachers meanwhile won 7.5%, retroactive to July.

I’m passing this information along to you, our readers, because I was asked to pass it on to a member of the BFT (Berkeley) bargaining team, who along with others on the team had been tasked with doing research on other locals. Obviously, it is crucial to any campaign that the union have up-to-date information on the status of other nearby contract campaigns. Ideally, locals would coordinate further. In fact, this is what Pleasanton, Dublin, and Moraga did, along with 18 other CTA chapters: they formed the East Bay Coalition for Student Success (EBCSS). Other chapters including Pittsburg, Antioch, Piedmont, and Martinez have not yet settled; several are in impasse. [Orinda, according to a post on its facebook page, has just reached a TA; they were at impasse.] For once, teachers are sharing information, strategies, and supporting each other! But not everywhere: my former colleagues in Berkeley still go it alone. Why can’t the CFT round up this information, and form a similar coalition?

Ultimately: why can’t both CTA and CFT facilitate collaboration statewide? When several of us from Solidarity News joined a rally in Pittsburg, the teachers there (as in Oakland, West Contra Costa, Mount Diablo, and Berkeley where we’re collectively from) were well aware that funding adequate salaries, healthcare, smaller class sizes, etc., is a statewide fight. So let’s fight together: for great schools, and for decent living conditions for educators and for our students!

          Dan Plonsey  BUSD retired