Topic: Standing Together

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CCE President Carl Williams: “I encourage you to fight and Flex your Power!”

Carl Williams, President of the Council of Classified Employees and AFT Vice President, started out his address to attendees to the annual Council of Classified Employees conference by telling them he wasn’t going to preach to the choir. He wasn’t going to talk about how classified workers are the last hired and first fired. Or how they’re not treated as professionals. Or how they aren’t paid a living wage often leading to long commutes because they can’t afford to live where they serve. Or how public education relies on classified workers for its existence.

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President Freitas is focused on building power for classified members

Jeff Freitas, President of the CFT, emphasized in his address to the attendees of the annual Council of Classified Employees Conference that the organization isn’t a teacher’s union, but a union of teachers and classified professionals.

“We have made sure that we represent everybody in the field of education in the classroom, as well as outside of the classroom,” he said.

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Happy Labor Day 2023!
Holiday

CFT offices will be closed for this federal holiday.

On Labor Day, we reflect on working people’s victories. Unions are more popular this Labor Day than at any time in more than 50 years⁠—with 71% of Americans now approving of unions.

But this momentum didn’t happen by accident. Working people have organized together for decades—standing together to address low wages, unsafe workplaces, unaffordable health care and a lack of respect on the job.

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2023 Labor Day Events Across the State
Join a local celebration of Labor Day

Rally for Good Jobs and Safe Streets

This rally is to encourage the Governor to sign #AB316 – the California Labor Federation’s bill with the Teamsters to ensure there is a human operator on any large autonomous vehicle, big rig or bus. AI is wreaking havoc in the workplace and this is just one instance where we have garnered broad bi-partisan support to put some limits on this unsafe, job-killing technology. There will be buses and caravans coming from throughout the state.

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New Look for Orange County Classified Professionals
“Employees” is now “Professionals” – in line with the CFT approach

Get out your smart phones and change your listing for AFT Local 4794. Members of the Coast Federation of Classified Employees voted unanimously at their spring meeting for a new name and look. “Employees” is now “Professionals” – in line with the CFT approach – and a Local 4794 task force created a new logo.

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This Is How AFT Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel Do It

Hundreds of AFT PSRPs gathered in Baltimore this spring for the 45th annual conference. The theme – “This Is How We Do It” – was fitting. Paras and school-related personnel kept lessons flowing and children fed throughout the Covid pandemic.

PSRP co-chairs and AFT Vice-Presidents Shelvy Young Abrams and Carl Williams opened the first general session. Abrams chaired the Paras Chapter of New York City’s United Federation of Teachers, and Williams leads the Lawndale Federation of Classified Employees.

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Palomar College Staff Come Together for Classified Appreciation Week

Hundreds of classified professionals at this North San Diego County community college were invited to enjoy some well-deserved appreciation and “Cheer on the Dream Team!”in May.

Staff Appreciation Week was an opportunity for members of the Council of Classified Employees/AFT Local 4522 to come together, learn and connect with colleagues. CCE members also collected canned food and other donations to fill the college’s Basic Needs Center for students, employees and the community at large.

Article Up Front staff shortage

We are united for education and justice
Back-to-School tour and opinion poll provide strong foundation for strategic planning

By Jeffery M. Freitas, CFT President

Another school year has started. As an educator, August and September have traditionally been the time when I set New Year’s resolutions for the coming academic year. It starts me off on a positive note to identify my goals, my priorities, and the areas in which I want to learn and grow.

I think about our work at CFT in much the same way, and just like when I was teaching, beginning a new school year as an organization is not just the work of one person. Setting goals for the CFT is not just the work of leaders or the Executive Council. Rather it demands real-time feedback from our membership so that we, as a statewide union, can respond to the issues members identify as top priorities. To do that important work, we have undertaken a number of projects to listen to members and respond to what we have heard.

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Trevor Griffey in a planning groupCFT President Jeff Freitas with Trevor GriffeyIris Ruiz

Two higher education activists join UC-AFT leadership
First woman of color and first labor historian

In a history-making move, the University Council-AFT is taking steps to expand representation in its leadership. Two new vice presidents have been elected, both of whom are contingent faculty from campuses that have not previously been represented — UC Merced and UC Irvine. Iris Ruiz, from Merced, is the first woman of color to serve on the UC-AFT Executive Board. Trevor Griffey is the first labor historian; he also has a pre-continuing and intermittent appointment.

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HELU Winter SummittHigher Ed Labor United logo

HELU Winter Summit unites efforts across unions
Promotes socio-economic and racial justice in higher education

HELU, or Higher Education Labor United, a cross-union and cross-sector coalition, held its Winter Summit virtually on February 23-27, pushing forward with the larger goals of reclaiming the promise of higher education, and promoting socio-economic and racial justice embodied by the New Deal for Higher Education campaign and Scholars for a New Deal in Higher Education.

Sandra GuzmanBelinda BlumImmigration attorney Leis Rodriguez

Members support and mentor undocumented students
Dedicated educators help students succeed and thrive

For Belinda Lum, sociology professor at Sacramento City College and chief negotiator for the Los Rios College Federation of Teachers, it was because she’s the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of people who came over from China with fake papers. For Leis Rodriguez, it was wanting to use her law school degree for her passion and becoming an immigration attorney.

Article staff shortage
Palomar classified leaders with CCE leaderslarge group of Berkeley classified employees with CCE leadersCCE President Carl Williams talks to Palomar membersPalomar members at table with swag

Classified leaders hit the road to meet locals
Listening tour leads to greater understanding, solidarity

After more than a year of Delta and Omicron surges and other COVID-19 pandemic obstacles, officers of the CFT Council of Classified Employees embarked on a statewide listening tour of AFT local unions representing classified employees.

“There will never be a perfect time, so we just hit the road,” said CCE President Carl Williams. “Our members have heard what we have to say. Now they want to be heard.”

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CFT wins top awards in national labor media competition
Federation lands 11 awards for communications in 2020

In a friendly competition with state and regional labor groups around the nation, the CFT won 11 awards from the International Labor Communications Association.

The awards show that content is still king. The CFT website won First Place in “best electronic content” for the third year in a row. Seven member-based stories won awards, with four claiming First Place honors.