Political Action

CCA Poltical Action Updates

These are critical times for teachers' unions across the nation. Here are some important resources for understanding issues directly affecting CCA members:

CCA Response to AB 515 - CCA President Ron Norton Reel responds to supporters of AB 515 (Brownley): Community Colleges: Extension Program. AB 515 would authorize a community college district to offer extension courses for credit by California Community College Students. For a college to use this authority, the classes would have to be self-supporting, open to the public, developed in conformance with the Education Code and Title 5 regulations governing community college credit courses, and subject to district collective bargaining agreements.
Do Not Begrudge Me The Pension I Earned - Dana Dillon's excellent piece makes a compelling case.
Myth versus Fact on Teacher Retirement - This document does a great job of debunking common myths about our pension system and provides relevant, factual answers.
California Pension May Question Political Spending - This Bloomberg article details how CalSTRS, the second-largest U.S. pension, may use its investment clout to push corporations to disclose their political donations, under a policy adopted by the fund’s investment committee.

N.E.A. helps lead the way in We Are One Campaign

On April 4, 1968, 43 years ago in Memphis, a long struggle for human rights and human dignity ended in the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but it brought economic justice and the respect that all people deserve to 1,300 city sanitation workers.

On April 4th, the anniversary of Dr. King’s death, labor unions, civil rights organizations, and religious leaders stood together across this country for the same human rights and human dignity for working men and women.

We remember the courage and determination of Dr. King and those workers who endured assault and arrest as they walked a picket line for two months. We have stood together as one with public workers across this country whose bargaining rights are under attack, with private workers who can’t get bargaining rights, and against those politicians and their allies who want to silence our political voice.

This is an ongoing campaign in which public workers across the country are uniting to stand up for their rights. The event kicked off on April 4, 2011 and many rallies and events are continuing to be scheduled.

Hundreds of thousands of union members and our allies took part in more than 1,000 solidarity actions in April to support embattled workers in the states.

These teach-ins, vigils, faith services and town halls honor the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tenn., where he had gone to stand with sanitation workers demanding their dream: The right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life. The workers were trying to form a union with AFSCME.

For information about specific We Are One events in your area, visit the main We Are One website. Also check out NEA's We Are One web page.

N.E.A. launches EducationVotes.org

EducationVotes.nea.org is creating a nationwide call to action, organizing and mobilizing teachers across America. Let your voice be heard for educators and workers' rights. This call-to-action organization believes that educators, school support staff, nurses, firefighters and other middle class workers are essential to the well-being and safety of our families and communities.

Working Americans need to use the strength of our numbers to fight for better wages and benefits, job security and safer workplaces. Furthermore, the attacks happening in state after state are more of the same old partisan politics. The goal is to stop the power struggle. We need balance that brings our leaders together to create quality jobs and solves the problems hurting middle class families across the country.