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By Julian Peeples

AT SCHOOLS ACROSS California, the inspiring power and momentum of last year’s Hot Labor Summer continued seamlessly into the 2023–24 school year, with educators standing together in their locals for their students and each other.

Our collective strength as CTA is built on our unity-fueled victories in our local associations. When we are committed to each other and willing to put it on the line together for our students and communities, we create change in our school districts and build the power needed to win elections and move legislation in the Capitol.

Here is a collection of 2023–24 victories and ongoing struggles in local associations across CTA that illustrate just how much we can accomplish for our schools and communities when we fight together.

Region I

Association of Pleasanton Teachers

Educator unity is unstoppable! APT members authorized a strike and were ready to walk the line for the best resources for their students and community — when they won, reaching an agreement in March just days before planning to go on strike.

Photo of Association of Pleasanton Teachers membersPhoto of Association of Pleasanton Teachers members

Dublin Teachers Association

Nearly 100% of DTA members voted to authorize a strike for the resources Dublin students need. The movement they built with their families and community powered a contract victory in March that will help recruit and retain educators in all Dublin schools.

Photo of Dublin Teachers Association membersPhoto of Dublin Teachers Association members

Contra Costa County Schools Education Association

Smaller class sizes and student success were the rallying cries for CCCSEA members organizing and fighting for a new contract. The local won a new two-year agreement in May.

Photo of CCCEA membersPhoto of CCCEA members

East Bay Coalition for Student Success

Solidarity rocks! The nearly 20 CTA locals in the East Bay Coalition for Student Success had a busy year, with multiple locals approving strike votes and winning for their students. Organizing continues, with five coalition locals potentially on strike to start the new school year if districts won’t invest in student success.

 

Photo of East Bay Coalition for Student Success membersPhoto of East Bay Coalition for Student Success members

Fairfield-Suisun Unified Teachers Association

Recruiting and retaining the educators that Fairfield-Suisun students deserve is the top priority for FSUTA members, who have organized and rallied in support of their lengthy bargain.

Photo of Fairfield Suisun Unified Teachers Association membersPhoto of Fairfield Suisun Unified Teachers Association members

Hartnell College Faculty Association

Months of deep organizing and a
marathon 16-hour bargaining session ended in a major victory for HCFA members in mid-December. They won health care for adjunct faculty, a pay increase and other resources to recruit and retain educators.

Photo of Hartnell College Faculty Association membersPhoto of Hartnell College Faculty Association members

Old Adobe Teachers Association

Members of the small but mighty OATA were ready to strike for each other and their students last fall, organizing and winning a new contract that includes increases to pay and health care benefits, so educators can stay in Old Adobe.

Photo of Old Adobe Teachers Association membersPhoto of Old Adobe Teachers Association members

CTA-Berryessa

After more than a year of difficult negotiations, CTA-Berryessa members remained united for the best for Berryessa students, winning a new contract in December.

The Power of our Union Berryessa CTA member shown organizingThe Power of our Union Berryessa CTA member shown organizing

Pittsburg Education Association

After 19 hours of bargaining, Pittsburg educators in April won a contract that was months of deep organizing in the making. Among the victories: resources to recruit and retain educators and a community schools agreement (MOU)!

Photo of Pittsburg Education Association membersPhoto of Pittsburg Education Association members

United Educators of San Francisco

UESF members voted to authorize a strike and won a huge contract victory in October rooted in equity that will see no education support professional in San Francisco Unified earn less than $30 an hour, as well as pay increases for educators and substitute teachers.

Sausalito District Teachers Association

The power of the strike was on display in Sausalito-Marin City, when SDTA members unanimously authorized a strike after 10 months of bargaining —and won! Educators stood united and in October won a 13.57% pay increase, fully paid health care and binding arbitration, among other victories.

Photo of Sausalito District Teachers Association membersPhoto of Sausalito District Teachers Association members

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: EDUCATOR HOUSING

Los Altos Teachers Association & Palo Alto Education Association

Some LATA and PAEA members will be able to live where they work thanks to teacher housing currently under construction in Palo Alto as part of a public-private partnership between four school districts, Santa Clara County and social media giant Meta. When completed (estimated 2025), 110 housing units will be set aside for educators from Palo Alto Unified, Los Altos, Mountain View Whisman and Foothill-De Anza Community College districts.

Photo of LOS ALTOS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION & PALO ALTO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION members at construction sitePhoto of LOS ALTOS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION & PALO ALTO EDUCATION ASSOCIATION members at construction site

Region II

Coalinga-Huron Unified Teachers Association

The Central Valley was hot with solidarity this spring, as 96.5% of CHUTA members authorized a strike, helping push them to victory at the bargaining table. Educators won resources to recruit and retain educators and stem ongoing churn that harms students and communities.

Photo of Coalinga-Huron member working with ready to strike flyersPhoto of Coalinga-Huron member working with ready to strike flyers

Fresno Teachers Association

FTA members won a historic contract in October for their students and community following a massive organizing campaign that saw more than 3,400 members rally in 90-plus degree heat for the opening of their strike authorization vote. With FTA’s dedication to the resources #EveryFresnoStudent deserved, FTA reached agreement with the district just a day before educators were set to walk picket lines.

Photo of Fresno Teachers Association members at a rallyPhoto of Fresno Teachers Association members at a rally

Farmersville Teachers Association

Following a 99% strike authorization in spring, FTA members were ready to walk picket lines for their students — and won a contract that helps provide the resources that all Farmersville students deserve.

Photo of Farmermsville Teachers Association members with ready to strike signsPhoto of Farmermsville Teachers Association members with ready to strike signs

Sacramento City Teachers Association

Building upon major victories following their successful 2022 strike, SCTA won a successor contract in February — lowering class sizes in grades 4–12, increasing educator pay, hiring more school nurses and librarians, and much more.

Photo of Sacramento City Teachers Association members on strikePhoto of Sacramento City Teachers Association members on strike

McFarland Teachers Association

The 160 members of MTA rallied their entire community, building a movement for public schools and winning a contract in February that will help keep great teachers in McFarland.

Photo of McFarland Teachers Association membersPhoto of McFarland Teachers Association members

Spotlight on Success: Fighting Extremism

Rocklin Teachers Professional Association

RTPA members supported their students and defended their right to negotiate safe, supportive teaching and learning conditions, asking the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to order Rocklin Unified School District to rescind its “forced outing” policy that targets LGBTQ+ youth. California Department of Education also found that the district violated Ed Code, and the district ceased implementation of the policy. “Our students are our top priority,” RTPA President Travis Mougeotte said.

Photo of Rocklin Teachers Professional Association logoPhoto of Rocklin Teachers Professional Association logo

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Los Banos Teachers Association

Los Banos educators are all-in for the transformative power of community schools for their students and families. LBTA leadership adopted a resolution
of support for community schools and is actively working to reach an agreement outlining the shared leadership structures that make these schools successful, holding a community forum in late April.

Photo of Los Banos Teachers Association flyer promoting community schoolsPhoto of Los Banos Teachers Association flyer promoting community schools

Region III

Glendale Teachers Association

GTA members joined community groups and elected officials in January to speak out against the hate and extremism creeping into Glendale public schools, which exploded into violence at a 2023 school board meeting. GTA leaders are leading the
fight to create safer schools in Glendale for students and educators. They scored a major victory in March when they elected educator Telly Tse to the Glendale School Board. Amid all of this, GTA continues work to reach a fair wage settlement.

Photo of Glendale Teachers Association membersPhoto of Glendale Teachers Association members

Hart District Teachers Association

After months of contentious negotiations, HDTA members organized to reach a contract agreement in March, winning resources to recruit and retain the educators that Santa Clarita students deserve.

Photo of Hart District Teachers Association membersPhoto of Hart District Teachers Association members

Paso Robles Public Educators

PRPE members rallied and built power to end the school year on a powerful note, winning a 5% pay increase and a stipend for bilingual educators in May.

Photo of Paso Robles Public Educators membersPhoto of Paso Robles Public Educators members

United Teachers Los Angeles

UTLA members rallied with SEIU Local 99 members in early May to demand the Los Angeles Unified School Board and Superintendent Alberto Carvalho reverse $6.3 billion in cuts that will have devastating impacts on students. The #CarvalhoCuts will mean less time for social emotional support for students; less help in the classroom; fewer arts, dance, music and elective programs; and less staff to keep schools safe and clean, among many impacts.

Photo of UTLA membersPhoto of UTLA members

Santa Barbara Teachers Association

SBTA members have been building a movement for the schools their students deserve, marching through the streets of Santa Barbara to demand safer teaching and learning conditions. SBTA completed mediation in April and members continue to organize to win the resources their public schools need.

Photo of Santa Barbara Teachers Association membersPhoto of Santa Barbara Teachers Association members

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Whittier Elementary Teachers Association

In October, WETA members won an agreement with the Whittier City School District on the staffing and infrastructure needs to build and support quality community schools. The agreement also outlines shared leadership structures to facilitate
collaboration in the community schools process and oversight so that all students can thrive. WETA is currently at impasse with the district in its contract bargain.

Photo of Whittier Elementary Teachers Association membersPhoto of Whittier Elementary Teachers Association members

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: FIGHTING EXTREMISM

Associated Chino Teachers

ACT members have shown exactly how to fight back when extremists take over a school board: together, in our union and with fierce righteousness in defense of our students and each other. Educators organized when an extremist majority of the school board banned books and Pride flags, seeking headlines on Fox News instead of focusing on education for Chino students. ACT also won a new contract in the spring.

Photo of two Associated Chino Teachers membersPhoto of two Associated Chino Teachers members

Region IV

Brea Olinda Teachers Association

BOTA members built a movement for Brea Olinda schools, rallying with parents and community for the resources to recruit and retain quality educators. BOTA built the power to make their “four is fair” rallying cry (for a 4% salary increase) a reality, winning an agreement in early May.

Photo of Brea Olinda Teachers Association rallyPhoto of Brea Olinda Teachers Association rally

Capistrano Unified Education Association

In the spring, CUEA members organized and won six weeks of paid maternity leave — the first in Orange County to negotiate it — along with a stipend for special education teachers and a pay increase.

Photo of Capistrano Unified Teachers Association membersPhoto of Capistrano Unified Teachers Association members

Orange Unified Education Association

OUEA members took their fight against two extremist school board members to the ballot, helping to build a community coalition to recall the extremists and take back their school board. In March, both of the board members were recalled.

Photo of Orange Unified Education Association membersPhoto of Orange Unified Education Association members

Saddleback Valley Education Association

SVEA reached agreement in late October on a contract that will improve teaching and learning conditions in Saddleback Valley schools and help recruit and retain quality educators. SVEA also successfully petitioned to add 80 speech language pathologists, school psychologists and mental health counselors into the union.

Photo of Saddleback Valley Education Association membersPhoto of Saddleback Valley Education Association members

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: FIGHTING EXTREMISM

Temecula Valley Educators Association

In August, TVEA members stood together to fight curriculum censorship in Temecula schools, joining a lawsuit against the school board that brought culture wars and chaos to their award-winning school district.

Photo of Temecula Valley Education Association studentsPhoto of Temecula Valley Education Association students

SPOTLIGHT ON SUCCESS: SHOWING SOLIDARITY

Fresno Teachers Association

When 3,500-plus educators in Portland Association of Teachers walked out of classrooms and onto picket lines on Nov. 1 last year they were ready to put it all on the line for their students, but no one knew they would be out until Nov. 26 to win the
teaching and learning conditions their students deserve. Fresno Teachers Association President Manuel Bonilla felt a kinship with PAT President Angela Bonilla, sharing not only a surname but a strike date. After FTA reached a tentative agreement on Oct. 30, Manuel Bonilla sent a message of educator solidarity that was texted to all PAT members on the eve of their historic strike.

Photo of FTA President Manuel BonillaPhoto of FTA President Manuel Bonilla

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