As the statewide affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, the CFT represents faculty and other school employees in public and private schools and colleges, from early childhood through higher education.

Linda Olsen (top row, left), a special education teacher's aide from Pacifica, heard about the national AFT's "Lend a Hand" program to rebuild New Orleans, and a few days later, there she was. After two weeks of hard work, she was grateful for the opportunity: "I feel privileged to be here. I am taking away so much. The main thing we are taking back is the message that things are not fine, these people still need a lot of help." Read more about Linda's work in New Orleans and the AFT project to help this summer. View a five minute video about their work. To find out how the New Orleans public schools and students are suffering from the state of Louisiana's ill-conceived school takeover plan, click here. AFL-CIO photos

Governor proposes commission to study public employee pension reform

Nearly two years after his failed attempt to gut public pension funds, Governor Schwarzenegger has finally admitted his plan was deeply flawed. In an opinion piece published in the December 29, 2006 Sacramento Bee, he said "I backed a proposed initiative that was poorly drafted." Instead, in keeping with his recent moderate approach, he has now proposed forming a bipartisan commission to study public pensions and recommend policy.

Background
In spring of 2005, Governor Schwarzenegger announced he was withdrawing his half-baked pension "reform" ballot initiative from circulation, due to the "misperception" that it separated widows of fallen firefighters and police from their spouse's death benefits.

The Secretary of State announced on April 25 that the Community College Initiative has qualified for the ballot. Close to a million signatures were handed in in January. CFT Secretary Treasurer Dennis Smith hailed the news as an outstanding opportunity for California to create new opportunities for its two million community college students, saying, "The initiative will help restore California’s promise to all of its citizens for open access to an affordable quality post secondary education by reducing the community college student fee to $15 per credit unit while also restricting future fee increases." The measure will appear on the February 2008 ballot. Click here for background story and some tools to help you get started in supporting the campaign.

Dealing with the health care crisis

Governor Schwarzenegger finally offered a proposal on January 8, 2007, to fix our health care system, which he calls "a sick old man." Perhaps inevitably, his solution is a body builder's prescription: he would put the patient on steroids, pumping up parts of the old system without addressing its fundamental, underlying problems.

He would mandate insurance for every individual, but with no guarantee that the coverage would be affordable and adequate. He would require employers to pay a maximum of 4% of payroll to privately insure their workers, or pay the equivalent into a state fund. But the governor's version of this "pay or play" approach is underfunded. As State Senator Sheila Kuehl points out, this would "at best provide high-cost, low-benefit plans for many Californians; it limits what employers pay but not what individuals must pay or what insurance companies can charge."

Leaders of the FACE coalition join Assemblyman Tony Mendoza on April 17 in a Sacramento news conference to launch the effort to pass AB 1343. From left, Dennis Smith, President, FACCC, Ron Reel, Treasurer, CCA/CTA, Marty Hittelman, President, CFT, Mendoza, and Susan Meisenhelder, Political Action Chair and former President, CFA. Fred Glass photo

• Download a PDF flyer on the FACE legislation
• More on national movement for FACE legislation sponsored by American Federation of Teachers

Sacramento, CA - Assemblyman Tony Mendoza’s AB 1343, the Faculty and College Excellence Act (FACE), passed the Assembly Higher Education Committee April 17 on a vote of 4 to 1. The FACE legislation is an effort to improve the quality of education in California's community colleges and state universities by bolstering a strong core of regular, continuing faculty, and addressing the lack of equity in pay and benefits for the increasing numbers of part-time and temporary full-time faculty.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Five hundred members of the California Federation of Teachers (CFT) convened at the Wilshire Grand Hotel the weekend of March 16-18, and chose new officers to lead their union. The convention is the highest ranking decision-making body of the statewide union.

The educators heard from Raquel Cruz Manzano, a leader of the Oaxaca teachers union, who spoke about the recent statewide teacher-led popular uprising against school privatization. The educators also heard from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on his plans for LA schools. Senator Gilbert Cedillo addressed the educators regarding the value to Californians of allowing undocumented residents to get a driver's license and receive help in attending college. U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey received standing ovations for her pledge to end the Iraq War and bring the troops home, and to redirect funding to education.

2007 CFT Women's Rights Conference

Sacramento Taiko Dan is composed of mostly women, who gave a rousing performance at the CFT Women's Rights Conference. Dean Murakami photo