Wednesday, April 11, 2007

We are Strong, and We are Together!


608 Days Without a Settlement!

So, you want to do something? Here are a few ideas:
1. Write a letter to the publisher of the News-Mirror, and let him know how you feel about the lack of coverage this bargaining crisis is getting. We are one of the city's largest employee groups, and we deserve fair treatment by the press as well as the District. Tell him that there are 1050 CTA members in Yucaipa and Calimesa, and we will be encouraging them to take action - like maybe cancelling their subscriptions.
2. Write a letter to the editor of the News-Mirror, and hope it can get published.
3. Talk to parents. Encourage them to contact board members and push for a settlement.
4. Talk to business owners and community leaders. They have a lot at stake, and labor unrest is not something that brings new business and new residents. Encourage them to contact board members and push for a settlement.
5. Talk to any of your colleagues who so far have been inactive or absent from negotiations support activities. Encourage them to participate!
6. Sign your name to the newspaper ad, which your reps have been circulating. Don't be afraid to go public with your name and support.
7. Sign your name to the "WE ARE YCEA" posters that identify you by site. Show the District that it's not just YCEA leadership pressing for a fair settlement.
8. SHOW UP at the picketing on May 1.
9. SHOW UP at the picketing on May 9.
10. SHOW UP at the rally on May 10.
11. Write letters to the editors of the San Bernardino Sun and the Riverside Press-Enterprise. You can do these either on paper or via their websites/email.

Any more ideas? We'll add them to the list.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder how the News Mirror feels about the negative effect that this crisis has on how our community is perceived by the outside world? Local realtors are going to have a hard time convincing potential buyers that our schools are as good as they once were with so many highly qualified and experienced teachers leaving. I think that the NM is as clueless as the board. I sure am seeing a lot of Yucaipa teachers at other district's interviews (four for one position just recently). Good luck replacing us! As for me, "I won't be back" - good luck to those of you who choose to stay.

Anonymous said...

APATHY IS A VOTE TOO! GET INVOLVED, OR BE WILLING TO SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES.

Nick Carlson said...

Bypass your local media! Just like you are doing with this blog, use You Tube.

Nick Carlson said...

I have an additional idea for a positive activity for Yucaipa-Calimesa teachers to do to communicate to your community. Post videos to YouTube. As an individual teacher all you need is a video camera, a computer, and a will to take videos and ask questions.

I am a Hayward teacher on strike and YouTube has been very effective for us. There are at least two groups of teachers who are posting to YouTube with more to come. With this tool we have bypassed our local media and forced them to take notice of us.

One group of Winton Intermediate School teachers have even simulated TV news crews in their very watchable videos.

Here are some copy and paste links so you can see for yourself (your blog would not let me make them clickable):

http://haywardteacherstogether.blogspot.com/2007/04/channel-7.html Shows the Hayward Educators Together! Blog Post Announcing the TV News Story

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=education&id=5177028 Shows the KGO TV News Report on Hayward Teachers Use of YouTube

http://www.insidebayarea.com/dailyreview/ci_5640559?source=email Shows that Our Local Newspaper Takes Notice

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Hayward%2C+Teachers%2C+strike&search=Search Will take you to Several YouTube Hayward Strike Videos