Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1515721
Snapshots From the Front Lines Unite Summit won its first-ever contract in 2021 and is now looking to build on their success to win more rights and resources for their students in their second contract. Unite Summit SUMMIT PUBLIC SCHOOL S San Francisco Bay Area 120 certificated members at seven sites It took more than two years of bargaining for Unite Summit members to win their first contract in May 2021, according to Unite Summit Secretary-Treasurer Eric Jones. While it was a huge victory that many thought would never happen, Jones says educators have since had to battle "willful ignorance" by site administrators, fighting to ensure the contract is being respected. With chronic teacher turnover where half of educators are leaving every year at some sites, Unite Summit is working hard to recruit and retain the quality educators their students deserve. Among major wins in their first contract: duty-free lunch and more supports to help students who are English learners, including professional development for educators and dedicated space at school sites. "It gave us time and space for this to happen where previously there was none," Jones says. Unite Summit is now bargaining to negotiate the impacts of switching to a new learning management system and is gearing up to win more rights and resources in their successor contract. "We're going into this second contract wanting to lock down language," Jones says. "We've got to fight for teachers and for resources that are going to keep them at our schools so our students can be successful." Organizing Pro Tip "Being proactive instead of reactive is so important." —Eric Jones, Unite Summit into their proposals and generally stone- walling the process. While frustrating, the delays have only strengthened PATA's resolve, as members prepare for impasse and potential job actions. "Because we don't have this contract, we've become a second class of teachers in our surrounding area," Lagomarsino says, noting that 15% of teachers leave the school every year. "We're making substan- tially less than nearby districts because of unpaid work. People really feel those life impacts and that's what we've been rally- ing around to move this contract." L a s t M a y, R i v e r C h a r t e r S c h o o l s Teachers Association (RCSTA) in Yolo County won its first-ever contract after 16 months of bargaining. President Mary Gomes says educators were committed to winning a contractually guaranteed voice, so no decisions could be made about educators without input from edu- cators. eir solidarity netted huge wins in the first contract: basic job rights like those provided in Ed Code, guaranteed prep time, smaller class sizes, overage language for special education caseloads, and six weeks paid pregnancy leave. "It's such a monumental accomplish- ment," Gomes says. "And it's also a historic win for other charter teachers in the area and their organizations. We could be pav- ing the way for others!" At Environm ental Char t er S chool s ( E C S ) i n L o s A n g e l e s C o u n ty, E nv i - r o n m e n t a l E d u c a t o r s Un i t e d ( E EU ) m e m b e r s a r e c u r r e n t l y b a r g a i n i n g th e i r f i rst c ontra c t . E EU O rga ni zi n g Committee member Fabian Ponciano says members are focused on winning a c o n t ra c t t h a t w i l l h e l p s t e m h i g h teacher turnover. An EC S graduate in 2010, Ponciano remembers the impacts of chronic churn. "I saw a lot of my great teach- ers leave. Now, being a teacher, I Continued from Page 23 Continued on Page 27 25 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 24