Union educators are all-in for the final homestretch of the 2024 election, knocking on thousands of doors across the state to win for our students, communities, public education and our democracy, as CTA President David Goldberg urged CTA State Council of Education to keep the fight up for Election Day victory.

Here are 10 takeaways from his speech to State Council this morning:

1. The Power of Us: “Many of us are engaging in our local school board races, where our efforts will make the difference in whether or not extremists take over and books are banned in our schools … We all know that as individuals, we cannot solve the challenges our schools and communities face on our own but that there is not a single issue we can’t win on if we fight together.”
2. Hitting the Road to Win: “Just a couple weeks ago, Region 2 members even took our fight for public education to the battleground state of Nevada. Leaders in the region made the powerful choice to provide time for members to get out of the hotel to walk and knock on doors to elect a pro-union and pro-public education president.”
3. Stepping Up to Lead and Fight for Better: “Leadership, like teaching, isn’t easy folks. It means we often get hit with the anger, frustration, and strongly held opinions of our coworkers and even fellow leaders, especially in moments when we are called to action. Leadership means we are the ones who often take on those tough conversations. That we are the ones who help transform division into unity, not by demanding blind allegiance to some party line but by identifying common ground and a shared vision for better working conditions, for the schools our students deserve and for a better world.”
   
4. Protecting Our Students, Defending Our Rights: “This election is about so much more than party or partisanship. This election is about whether we have a real chance to fully fund special education. It’s about whether we will have a public education supporter fighting with us for a major boost in teacher pay or we will need to fight against an unprecedented wave of attacks on our most vulnerable students and our right to collectively bargain and have a union.”
5. This is Our Moment: “That’s how important this moment is, and we are in this It’s so important that every part of our organization is aligned with and committed to the building of a powerful union that is alive at every single worksite in every single chapter.”
6. We Have the Power: “We have the numbers. We have the power when we come together in our union. This is why our work together, to build a more perfect union that is strong and alive at every single worksite in every single chapter across our state, is so important.”
   
7. We Can’t Wait: “We can’t wait to fully staff our schools so that our students have access to a well-rounded and joyful education. We can’t wait for real stability in our classrooms when so many of us pour our hearts and souls into building stable learning communities, only to have them torn apart by threat of cuts closures and layoffs.”
8. Strong Worksites are the Heart of Our Union: “When our union is alive at our worksites, our coworkers will walk door-to-door for school board elections and show up for rallies outside school board meetings and be ready to go on strike. Strong worksites are the bedrock for every victory we win and hope to win.”
   
9. Busting Out Our Sneakers: “I’m proud to be in a union with every CTA member who is busting out their sneakers on weekends and after school and walking the walk up and down our state in these 2,000 school board races, for critical bond measures and to make a difference in congressional races and in the presidential election.”
10. Join Our Fight: “Can I count on you, can we count on each other, on every beautiful leader in this room, on the people who make our union strong to walk with me, to do your part as a member and leader to meet this moment, win these races, and build a stronger CTA for the fights ahead?”