Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1515721
UESF's Big Bargaining Team, announcing on Facebook Live that they reached a tentative agreement. " This contract will allow more educators to remain in their positions, so students have the stable relationships that they deserve" — Maggie Furey, school social worker At th e c a mp ai g n ki ckof f , u ni on leaders including the bargaining team shared their experiences in their spe- cific roles in schools, the challenges they faced and their priorities for the bargain. After many words of appreci- ation for their work, paraeducators revealed some of the many inequities they faced at the district, including disparate longev- ity pay and the lack of a pension for the lowest-paid and most racially diverse group of members. It was a powerful and emo- tional moment for the team. "And they immediately pivoted and made us their priority. It went from 'I' to 'we' — the bargain was like a birth of our union," says Tillery. "If I didn't know we were one union before, I do now." School social worker Yajaira Cuapio called it "a moment of class conscious- ness" for UESF — one that changed their approach and made them stron- ger than ever before. "I think it really transformed us all. It definitely changed me and the way I identify as a worker and leader," Cuapio says. "It taught me more about San Francisco and our society. We're talking about touching community." Teacher Anaia Gilliam says learning about how many of her colleagues were living and existing was eye-opening. rough this lens, the bargaining team developed a series of propos- als rooted in equity. Rather than traditional across-the-board percentage increases that give the lowest raises to the UESF Bargaining Team Coordinating Committee members met in December to share the story of their historic bargain. "This contract is transformative for the students of San Francisco, even the ones who aren't students yet. At every school site, we are united to make things better for the long-term." —UESF President Cassondra Curiel 31 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 24