As we move further into the 2009-2010 school year it is important to understand the direction the current C.T.U. leadership has taken us. The areas we would like to address this month include job losses, payroll, and this past October House of Delegates Meeting.

Job Losses
Since last May, we have seen over 500 Provisionally Assigned Teacher (PAT/s) non-renewals; 700 more tenured teachers in the “reassigned” pool; projected enrollment cuts that could cost 500 more teacher positions; and “20th school day” displacements could easily put the total number of job losses over 2000; all this within just the last five months! The length of the 2007-2012 Contract limits the Union’s ability to stop these attacks on our members while providing CPS the time and ability to construe the contract to their advantage with no bona fide threat of job action.

Payroll Problems
The justifications, misinformation, and propaganda from the downtown C.T.U. staff do not change the fact that our wallets are missing a full week’s pay, and will remain so for as long as we work for CPS. In fact, the contract language states that PSRP/s would be placed on the teachers’ pay schedule, yet CPS decided to move the teachers’ pay dates instead.
See Contract Article 36-2.3., on page 85.

October House Meeting
As President Stewart tried to “rubber stamp” Executive Board / U.P.C. endorsed pension candidates the majority of delegates, to their immeasurable credit, fought this to the end. The delegates’ opposition obliged Stewart to endorse all 6 member- candidates. Incidentally, C.T.U. / U.P.C. leaders had apparently decided to use Union members’ names and home addresses on file at the Union offices to send out postcards endorsing U.P.C. associates running for Pension Trustee positions. Ms. Stewart signed these, not in her capacity as U.P.C. chairperson, but as the C.T.U. president (!?)
Based upon the presentations of the Pension Trustee candidates at the October meeting, the S.E.A. supports
Aspasia Demeros and Jay Rehak for Pension Trustee.

We urge all Union members to help protect our pension fund by promoting support for these candidates!

Website Updates
Watch our website for a new monthly feature on our Home Page: “How Our Contract DOES NOT Work For You!”: a topical critique of current contract flaws and weaknesses. Look for it at www.seacaucus.net . We hope you’ll continue to visit our website as it improves in content and format.

(Side Bar):

Following the distribution of our September mailing other caucuses have adopted parts of our message of unity and solidarity. (It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so we thank you!) We take this as a sign of common ground that will ultimately lead to the real change and solidarity we seek.

Lastly, but most urgently; Vote NO on the November 20th referendum to change the language in the CTU Constitution!! No changes to the Constitution should be made without prior full disclosure and discussion in the House of Delegates.