Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1545867
SOUTHWEST TEACHERS ASSOCIATION When their district refused to invest in students, despite hoarding budget reserves 15 times the state requirement, SWTA members, parents and students organized and mobilized. Facing stalled negotiations since May 2024, a staggering 98% of members voted to authorize a strike. That solidarity paid off. After 20 months of bargaining and a 20-hour fact-finding hearing, SWTA won a landmark contract in January that lowers class sizes, improves compensation, and delivers vital investments for special education. SWTA held strike captain training in January. SADDLEBACK VALLEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION SVEA is building member and community power in their fight for class size improvements. Member and parent engagement has been a key focus in this bargaining campaign; negotiations stalled after 14 months, leading to impasse, mediation and now fact-finding. SVEA has engaged hundreds of parents in the campaign, mobilized two big rallies in support of class size demands and used the campaign structures to sign up 77% of members on the Prop. 55 extension petition. SVEA entered mediation with the school district in February but were unable to come to agreement and are now in fact-finding. SVEA members wrote postcards urging people to vote pro-public education. 16 cta.org Year in Review