In a groundbreaking collaboration, large teacher union chapters across California, including SDEA, OEA (Oakland), SCTA (Sacramento), UTLA (Los Angeles), UESF (San Francisco), SJTA (San Jose), and others, are joining hands to shape the trajectory of public education in the state. This effort aims to enact substantial improvements for students, educators, support staff, and communities alike through bargaining for our next whole contract negotiations.
The alignment of the expiration dates of our contracts has brought educator union chapters together in a unified front for the first time. This presents an opportunity to leverage our collective strength to amplify our demands. We aim to not only uphold our recent contract victories but also expand funding for our schools. To achieve this, we will take our contract fights to Sacramento and work with broader communities to build a large, diverse movement for California’s schools. The four main pillars of this coordination with other unions can be summarized as follows.
Common Objectives
To start, we’ll work together to set shared goals for our contract campaigns, focusing on improving California’s public schools. We’ll develop strategies that go beyond individual districts and have a statewide impact. These common goals will be developed over the next year, with input from every local chapter’s members. Local chapters will still have the freedom to pursue their own local priorities in addition to these shared goals.
Statewide Coordination
Essential to this effort will be establishing a robust, statewide coordinated contract campaign structure. This will facilitate close collaboration among educators across California, pooling efforts to achieve common goals that transcend individual districts.
Strengthening Organizational Capacity
To bolster the chances of success, the chapters are dedicated to increasing membership involvement. This includes expanding participation through site leader training, systematic worksite meetings, utilizing diffused site member leadership teams, and employing other effective tactics to fortify internal union structures.
Inclusive Partnerships
Recognizing the significance of broad support, the united chapters are committed to building meaningful alliances with students, parents, and other community and labor stakeholders who share the common goal of enhancing California’s public school system. This cooperative approach aims to create a positive impact on education and cultivate stronger unions throughout all the chapters involved.
The SDEA Board of Directors, composed of elected SDEA members, has already approved the initiative to engage in this collective fight for our schools. The Representative Council, composed primarily of SDEA members elected from school sites and programs, will be discussing this common goals policy at its December 2023 meeting.