For a Google doc version of what’s below, click here!

Greetings fellow members of OEA!

My name is Divya Farias and I am a special education teacher at Oakland High serving in OEA Executive Board seat 1.  With the help of fellow Rank and File Caucus members, I am sending out monthly bulletins to share with fellow members of OEA.

Please note that all Rep Council (RC) and Executive Board (EB) meetings are open to all members to attend.  I highly encourage you to come! Also note that all EB decisions, as always, are subject to approval by the RC. Below you will find some highlights from the regular December meeting. I’m sorry to be getting this one out at the last minute; it happened right before the break and suddenly the January meeting is already upon us! The next EB meetings are Wednesday January 17 and Wednesday February 21 at 4:30 on Zoom. 

Highlights from the Dec 20, 2023 meeting

NEW BUSINESS

• OEA will support AB 1323 which gives teachers discretion to call the cops regarding situations at schools and removes the ‘mandatory’ language
  • Passed without objection
• 6 of 7 members were appointed to the OEA review board
  • Passed without objection; I abstained
• Holiday bonuses for OEA custodial staff
  • Passed without objection
• Motion to send Grievance 2022-20 to Mediation [see more about this in “My 2 Cents”]
  • Passed with 1 No; I voted Yes
• Appointments to the bargaining team
  • ECE SPED: Azucena Gamez, Kimberly Deboe, Anita Gutierrez
  • Social Worker Committee: Emily Hager, Maryam Toloui
    • Passed without objection
• PIC recommendations for endorsement of Lupe Angulo (Alameda County Board of Ed district 5, Hayward), Mayra Alvarado (Alameda County Democratic Central Committee), Bill Balderston (Green Party)
  • An amendment was made to add Sean Dugar, Nicole Grashton, and Regina Shagolla to the OEA’s endorsements for ACDCC
    • Passed with 1 No (Divya)

REPORTS

• The President reported that…
  • the teacher absence fill rate is now at 85% (showing that more substitutes are hired and/or working). 
  • the academic calendar for 24-25 is being negotiated currently with OUSD. 
  • there have been some bylaws changes proposed which you can read about here
  • the OEA review board is mostly appointed (see new business)
• The 1st VP reported that…
  • her work is mostly regarding CSOC (Community Schools Organizing Committee) which will be shifting its focus to SSCs (School Site Councils) and implementing community control in 2024
• The 2nd VP reported that…
  • The school board is doing “equity impact analysis” which suggests they intend to close/consolidate schools. They will need to wait at least until 2025 when our contract expires
  • The CSOC task force and steering committee (joint committee that includes administrators, OEA members, parents and student) was supposed to kick off at the December 14 board meeting, but the school board president canceled the meeting for unclear reasons. OEA is filing a grievance because OUSD has broken the contract by failing to kick off the CSOC task force and steering committee
• The Political Involvement Committee (PIC) reported that their recommendations for endorsement are…
  • For the D18 Alameda County Democratic Party Committee: Mayra Alvarado (OEA member)
    • Although there were other potential candidates (such as teachers) on the slate with Mayra, the PIC voted not to recommend others because of a lack of information about the candidates
  • For Alameda County School Board D5: Lupe Angulo
  • For the Green Party: Bill Balderston

FINANCES/TREASURY

• No budget report

MY 2 CENTS 

On Grievance 2022-20 Grievance 2022-20 is regarding the district’s decision to dock hundreds of people’s pay on March 24, 2023.  It is widely known that an unsanctioned sickout occurred that day, effectively shutting down 15 secondary schools in favor of contract demands (namely higher pay) that continued to be elevated during the May 2023 strike.  The contract and state law are clear that participation in unsanctioned work stoppages is not technically permissible.  But the contract and state law are also clear that it’s the right of an employee to take a sick day, and to use their sick leave to pay for it.  If OUSD has reason to believe that an employee may have done something illicit during their sick day, such as participating in an unsanctioned work action, OEA’s contract with OUSD specifically states that the district withholds the right to ask the employee to fill out an absence verification form. On March 24, hundreds of teachers’ pay was docked but none were asked to fill out an absence verification form.  Because of this, OUSD is in violation of the contract and the EB voted to send the class action grievance to the level of mediation.  I think this is very important and think it’s imperative that we defend our right to do what we want with our sick days.  Several people were sick on March 24 and used a sick day specifically for that.  I would be very concerned about any potential precedent that would suggest to the district that they can play around with our sick days and decide arbitrarily to dock our pay instead of granting a sick day. 

On the PIC endorsements I really appreciated the recommendation of the PIC to avoid endorsing candidates when we don’t know enough about them– even if they are friends of OEA members, are teachers, or have connections otherwise to the union. I think we have seen numerous examples in recent years of the consequences of a rushed endorsement. Rosie Torres, Sam Davis, Mike Hutchinson, and Tony Thurmond are all examples of politicians OEA has endorsed only to see them turn their backs on labor and our pro-public school, anti-privatization efforts in Oakland.  I think it is always better to withhold an endorsement out of an abundance of caution than it is to take a risk on someone whose track record and political platform is not bulletproof or not clear enough for us to make a determination. 

As always, please reach out – let’s discuss and build the union we want! My email is postmistressgeneral@gmail.com. Once again the next EB meeting is Wed January 17 on Zoom. 

In solidarity,

Divya