What your Association Does For You
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The National Education Association (NEA):
Lobbies in Congress and with the President to increase federal funding for public education,
and to block legislation that would damage or destroy it. NEA’s success is reflected in the
steadily increasing funding for No Child Left Behind.
The California Teachers Association (CTA):
Lobbies in the state legislature and with the governor to protect California’s school funding
guarantee (Prop. 98, a CTA idea), and to provide additional funds in years of plenty for programs
to do things like raise your salaries and enhance your retirement. CTA stood up to Governor
Schwarzenegger when he proposed a series of punitive anti-education ballot measures in 2005
and defeated every one. (One initiative would have meant that it would have taken you five years
to get tenure in the district!) CTA also sued when Schwarzenegger reneged on a deal to provide
full funding to Prop 98, and the recently approved 2006-07 budget includes the first installment
of a 5.6 billion dollar settlement repaying that money to our schools. CTA also provides support
to your AEA negotiators during bargaining, and invaluable legal advice and training to all CTA
members. CTA is a highly effective, professional organization that knows how to get its
message out.
The Acalanes Education Association (AEA):
The dues amount is lowest for this part of your union because all of the work is done by your
colleagues, who are paid only a small stipend. Your local is the organization that bargained with
the district to get all the protections you now enjoy under your contract (except those covered
under state law – CTA did that). Those include the amount you get paid, the limits on class size
and extra duty assignments, the hours you work (including preparation periods) - almost
everything, in short, that makes your job what it is. Last year we were able to negotiate a
compression of the salary schedule that not only reflected a substantial raise, but also ensure
that teachers will spend more of their prime earning years at the top of the salary schedule. We
were also able to negotiate a strong discipline article, and limit the scope of required after
school meetings. In addition, your union tirelessly supports the cause of teachers in disputes
with the site or district administration, and advocates for you the individual teacher whenever you
feel you are being treated unfairly by either entity.
We’re there for you.
To Keep In Mind:
The overwhelming majority (over 95%) of AUHSD teachers are union members. If don’t join the
union you become a “fee payer”: you still pay dues to cover the costs of bargaining, but you lose
the right to vote on issues (like the contract) that are important to you. You also lose a whole
host of benefits (insurance, home loan discounts) that CTA provides
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PLEASE JOIN YOUR TEACHERS ASSOCIATION TODAY!
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Acalanes Education Association
web contact: kfindlay@acalanesteachers.org
Updated: December 10, 2008
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