Advocacy 101: Wake up, everybody!
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The document outlines an agenda for a leadership conference on advocacy and organizing. The schedule includes sessions on advocacy and contracts, evaluations, grievances, policies and laws. Expected outcomes include understanding the impact of recent laws on employees and strategies for organizing and increasing membership. The document provides examples to illustrate how advocacy impacts membership and reviews employee rights and legal requirements for contracts. [END SUMMARY]
Advocacy 101: Wake up, everybody!
- 1. WAKE UP, EVERYBODY! Advocacy in our New World LAE Summer Leadership Conference July 24, 2012
- 2. Lynda Guidry, LAE Director of Field Services, Membership, Organizing & Legal Services Melanie Mitchell, NEA Membership Organizational Consultant Vera Loyd, LAE Region 1 UniServ Director Angela Miller, LAE Region 3 UniServ Director
- 3. Expected Outcomes Basic Understanding of Act 1s impact on employees Strategies for organizing & increasing membership in your workplace
- 4. NORMS/PARKING LOT Be on time Be respectful when sharing Turn cell phones to silent mode Be fully present Place issues off topic in the Parking Lot to be addressed Any other suggestions?
- 5. Schedule 9:00 ADVOCACY & CONTRACTS 10:15 - BREAK 10:30 EVALUATIONS, GRIEVANCES, POLICIES, LAWS 11:45 - LUNCH
- 6. INTRODUCTIONS Please share with us Your Name Your Local Association Your Position in the Local Association
- 7. Advocacy Impact on Membership 8 7/20/2012
- 8. Advocacy Impact on Membership Be a fair and helpful advocate or you will lose members. Many members join so that they will have someone to help them if the district treats them unfairly. Let members know what the association does to help members in a general way, but keep names and details confidential.
- 9. Advocacy Impact onMembership If members question why the association is helping a bad employee, explain that the association works to protect the process and ensure that all members are treated fairly. Develop cooperative relationships with administrators, if possible, so that you have more credibility when trying to resolve employee problems. Help prevent problems by helping members improve their job performance. 10 7/20/2012
- 10. Employee Rights Quiz Agree Disagree
- 11. State or Federal law covers most employment problems for school employees. Agree Disagree 12 7/20/2012
- 12. DISAGREE Support employees are governed by FLSA, but very few state laws govern ESP. Most laws that teachers have enjoyed for many years have been amended or repealed. 13 7/20/2012
- 13. All school employees have the same set of legal rights. Agree Disagree 14 7/20/2012
- 14. Disagree Teachers who were tenured before September 1, 2012 will retain tenure. Beginning July 1, 2012 teachers rated highly effective for 5 years within a 6- year period earn tenure pursuant to the performance evaluation program. Teachers not awarded tenure remain at-will. Support professionals are at-will. 15 7/20/2012
- 15. All school employees have a right to a fair hearing prior to being terminated from their jobs. Agree Disagree 16 7/20/2012
- 16. Disagree Tenured teachers have the right to a hearing before a panel of 3 people superintendent designee, principal designee, and teacher designee. Support staff may or may not have a right to a hearing, depending on their contracts and district policy. Everyone else is at-will and does not have the right to a hearing. 17 7/20/2012
- 17. A teacher cannot be transferred to another grade level, subject or school building without his or her permission. Agree Disagree 18 7/20/2012
- 18. Disagree Some districts can involuntarily transfer employees for any reason or for the needs of the district. District policies will have to be changed to reflect the new laws. 19 7/20/2012
- 19. All school employees can quit by simply submitting a letter of resignation. Disagree 20 Agree 7/20/2012
- 20. Disagree It will depend on school district policy and new contract language. 21 7/20/2012
- 21. A school employees personal life is none of the schools business. Agree Disagree 22 7/20/2012
- 22. Disagree Many aspects of a school employees personal life are not the schools concern. However, a school district has a legitimate interest in personal activities that interfere with the employees ability or fitness to work. Also, it is the schools business if the employee has molested children or stolen property, even if those crimes were committed after work hours. Employees must also exercise good judgment when using Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc. 23 7/20/2012
- 23. Contracts
- 24. Basic Requirements for Teacher Contracts 1. Certainty as to the length of the school day;
- 25. Basic Requirements for Teacher Contracts 2. Certainty as to the length of the school year;
- 26. Basic Requirements for Teacher Contracts 3. Certainty as to the amount of money that a teacher will be paid for the agreed upon school day/ school year; and
- 27. Basic Requirements for Teacher Contracts 4. Certainty as to the amount of money that a teacher will be paid for work outside of the agreed upon school day/ school year.
- 28. Contracts Examine contracts Whats missing? How would you organize to fix the contract in your district?
- 30. 10-Minute Meeting Template for 10-Minute Site Meeting (advertise agenda) Minutes Topic Rationale (1-2) Brief overview Keeping members informed (3-6) State issue Gain consensus (7-9) Take stand/ Creates solidarity @ site make decision (10) Recognition Develop spirit and improve morale @ site Use 4x6 cards to alert AR of other issues to be addressed in the future.