Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/42291
Alexis Weiner, 30 ENGLISH TEACHER, JOHN BURROUGHS HIGH SCHOOL ORGANIZING CHAIR AND SITE REP, BURBANK TEACHERS ASSOCIATION I frequently hear members say "What is the union doing?" or "What are you — the union reps and leadership — doing?" instead of asking "What are we doing?" This us-and-them mentality is why it's important that younger teachers become involved in their local associations. Some of us take things for granted, because when we came into the profession, there were full benefits and pay scales in place. It can be difficult to put ourselves in the position of veterans who fought for these things. There can be a disconnect between generations of teachers, because if you haven't lived without these benefits, the threat of los- ing them doesn't carry the same weight. But now we are seeing a regression in the things we fought for, and we need to stand together to protect what we still have. Last year, after four years in the district, I was laid off along with around 10 percent of our members until we agreed to furlough days, a raise in class sizes, and modifications to health care benefits. Involvement is not just working within the union or looking out for our own needs; it goes hand in hand with looking out for our students. In order to best serve them, we need to negotiate certain items like class size. Yes, it's beneficial to us as teachers to have fewer students, but it's also beneficial to students who need personal attention, or need questions answered, or need to create a bond with a teacher in order to feel part of the school community. To be the most effective teachers we can be, we need to participate in our local associations, CTA and NEA. I would like to see more young lead- ers take an active role in CTA. In today's economic climate, we are afraid of losing our jobs because we have been threatened so many times. Sometimes this fear makes us feel isolated or that we're the only ones feeling this way. We need to come out of our classrooms, talk about our experiences and concerns, and come together so we can realize the commonality of what we share. Andy Montoya, 35 MATH TEACHER, LADERA VISTA JUNIOR HIGH PRESIDENT, NORTH ORANGE COUNTY UNITED TEACHERS I'm a member of the Generation CTA Caucus. For those who are wondering, Generation CTA is a mindset, not an age. It's a mindset about the future — and the future of our union. Members of Genera- tion CTA believe that newer teachers need more involvement and more of a voice in such matters as teacher evaluation, test scores and NCLB. So many times we hear it said that you can't fire a teacher, and that teachers unions are a stumbling block. But we want to work with districts to come up with solutions. We have some solutions, but nobody is asking us. The public says unions won't say yes to anything, but nobody has asked us. For example, some of us think evalu- ations should be done by a committee of our peers. Generation CTA wants younger members to know they need to be more involved. We tell them about the value of the association. Some newer members don't see the benefits of their union and just see it as $100 that comes out of their paycheck once a month. We say, "You need to see what we do and you will have a voice, too." We want to let younger teachers know that politics isn't scary, and that they shouldn't be afraid to talk to their congress- man or Assembly member. I tell them "You can do it" and urge them to come on Lobby Day for a congressional visit so they can become an advocate and get involved. Being in a union isn't just for people with 20 years' experience. It's a place for everyone; it's a voice for everyone. Just search for "Generation CTA" on Facebook to get involved. September 2011 / www.cta.org 23