The Classified Day of Action in Sacramento was a time to connect

Thanks to everyone who came up to Sacramento this week to celebrate classified workers and their contributions to our schools and colleges. In total, over 250 people braved the heat in Sacramento to attend the event, which was CFT’s centerpiece to the national Classified Appreciation Week.

Classified workers and their supporters from across the state welcomed elected officials, labor leaders, and allies to the rally and picnic. Speakers included AFT President Randi Weingarten, California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Lorena Gonzalez, and Assemblymember Evan Low.

But perhaps most importantly, those in attendance got to connect with one another, affirming their joint commitment to continuing the work of improving the working lives of all classified workers. CFT Council of Classified Employees President Carl Williams got it just right when he said it’s not just about a fight for a living wage, but an enjoyable wage.

Look for a full write up and video of the event soon. In the meantime, check out this quick video from CFT, as well as this wonderful video from the Palomar College Council of Classified Employees.

Thanks to the leaders of the CFT Council of Classified Employees and the CFT staff who made the day such a success!

CFT joins allies to launch the SAFETY Act

This week CFT joined fellow labor and LGTBQ+ allies to launch AB 1955, the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act (SAFETY Act). If signed into law, the SAFETY Act will do three things: Prohibit school districts from implementing forced outing policies, provide resources for parents and students to navigate conversations around gender and identity on their own terms, and ensure teachers, counselors, and school staff are not retaliated against for refusing to forcibly out a student.

The new bill comes as school boards across the state and country have enacted forced outing policies, impacting the mental health and safety of some of our most vulnerable students, and leading to a rise in bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

CFT President Jeff Freitas says this is an issue of trust. “To have a blunt policy like a forced outing policy that requires a teacher to undermine that trust puts up a wall to be able to provide that education,” he said at the press conference, as reported in the LA Times. “You tell me your pronoun, I’ll use it, we move forward, and I’ll teach.”

UC-AFT leaders join fellow higher education leaders in calling out Republican attacks on higher education

This week leaders and activists from UC-AFT joined fellow higher education unionists from Rutgers and Northwestern universities in Washington, D.C. to push back on Republican attacks on higher education. The leaders of UCLA, Rutgers, and Northwestern were summoned to testify at a House Committee on Education and the Workforce hearing Thursday on allegations of antisemitism on their campuses. But instead of an honest discussion to address a serious issue, the majority instead sought to score political points at the expense of our schools.

“To me, it’s become really clear that this is the Republican majority’s attempt to showcase their platform and their attack on higher education,” said UC-AFT President Katie Rodger, via Inside Higher Ed. “I don’t believe for one minute that the interests of students or campus community members is at all what the Republicans are after in these hearings. In fact, the only thing that they want to hear is themselves.”

News in Brief

Apply now for CFT scholarships for continuing college students. June 15 is the deadline to apply for the CFT Raoul Teilhet scholarships for continuing college students who are children or dependents of CFT members in good standing. Students enrolled in four-year courses of study are eligible for $3,000 scholarships; those enrolled in two-year programs are eligible for $1,000. For a link to the scholarships, as well as those of other scholarships available to CFT members and their dependents, please see the CFT scholarships web page.

Review CFT’s latest budget analysis. Earlier this month, Governor Gavin Newsom released an updated version of his proposed state budget for the coming fiscal year. The CFT research department has put together this helpful analysis of the proposal, to help local leaders and members get a better understanding of its impact on public education. The process now moves to negotiations between the Governor’s office and the Legislature, with a June 15 deadline for lawmakers to pass the budget.

Have a safe and restful Memorial Day. As we honor those who have lost their lives in the service of our country this weekend, we hope you are able to take the time to rest and connect with your friends, family, and community. If you gather for a cookout or barbecue, make sure to make it union-made.