Unity — Strength — Action Unity — Strength — Action UNION SPOTLIGHT AFT Washington, AFL-CIO wa.aft.org Like us on Facebook and Twitter @aftwa August 2016 Photo Credits: David Ayala Zamora and Sylvia Watson Meeting with Candidates What’s at Stake in this AFT and WSLC Inside Year’s Election? .................... Page 4 Convention Amendments ... Page 6 2016-17 Education 2016 General Labor Archives Scholarship Winners ............ Page 2 Election Endorsements ....... Page 4-5 of Washington ...................... Page 7 Calendar ................................ Page 2 Fight Like Hell for the Living ....................... Page 6 President’s Column .............. Page 3 Union Spotlight | 1 2016-17 Education Scholarship Winners AFT Washington By Christine Landon, Data Manager & member of AFT Everett Local 1873. Executive Board Communications Assistant Lee has been accepted at San Diego State University, where he plans to President hree deserving winners Karen Strickland study business administration; and Thave each received $1,000 Vice President At-Large Pos. 1 AFT Washington/Schwerin Kathryn Severson, also a previous Vacant Campbell Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt winner in 2015-16, is the daughter Vice President At-Large Pos. 2 Barbara Randall-Saleh scholarships in support of their of Cascadia Community College Vice President At-Large Pos. 3 higher education goals this coming Federation of Teachers Local 6191 Richard Moore year. We congratulate: member Heather Severson. Kathryn Vice President for Community and is studying at Everett and Edmonds Technical Colleges Council Marisela Baca, a previous winner Simone Terrell Community Colleges, completing in 2014-15, is the daughter of prerequisites for entering the Vice President for School-Related AFT Yakima Local 1485 retired Personnel Council paramedicine program at Central Janet Watson local president (and current AFT Washington University. Vice President for 4-Year Council Washington lobbyist) Dr. Bernal Elizabeth Williamson Baca. She plans to attend Renton Our thanks to all of the members Vice President for Contingent Faculty Technical College to complete and locals who donated to support Michael Boggess her AA degree in preparation for this year’s scholarships, and VP for Legislative Affairs baccalaureate nursing studies; particularly to our generous friends Vacant and allies at Schwerin Campbell Vice President for Higher Ed Lee Bruemmer, a new winner this Classified Personnel Barnard Iglitzin & Lavitt, LLC. year, is the son of John Bruemmer, Vacant Vice President for Paraprofessional Classified Personnel Janet Morgan Vice President for Legal Defense September 24 (no meeting on October 1) Margaret West Classified Council and CTC Council Meetings Vice President for Human Rights @ Best Western Executive Inn, Seattle Tracy Lai September 24-25 Vice President for COPE Todd Hahn Executive Board Retreat Secretary @ Best Western Executive Inn, Seattle Lila Harper September 26, 11:45 AM – 1:30 PM Treasurer Protecting, Strengthening, and Expanding Social Security and Kenneth Pimpleton Medicare for All Generations Retiree Chapter President @ Kent Senior Center, 600 E. Smith St., Kent Ross K. Rieder RSVP to Susan Levy at [email protected] or Parliamentarian K. Ann McCartney 206-448-9646 October 22-23 Board meetings are usually held on the Powerful Locals Leadership Retreat first Saturday of the month except for Location TBD holidays and summer months. Board members are elected to two-year terms. December 9-11 CALENDAR The 2016 Emerging Leaders Conference AFT Washington represents over 6,500 members South Seattle College Georgetown Campus, Bldg. C in early childhood education, K-12, and higher education in Washington State and is affiliated 6737 Corson Ave. So. Seattle with the American Federation of Teachers, which $150 Registration includes all meals, snacks, workshops, & more) represents 1.6 million members nationwide. Sponsored by the Labor Education and Research Center and Editor, Sylvia Watson [email protected] Washington Young Emerging Labor Leaders (YELL) Photos by Sylvia Watson unless otherwise noted. Contact Kelly Coogan-Gehr for more information at 206-242-4777 ext. 8084 Toll free: 1-866-99-AFTWA [email protected] or 206-934-6859 2 | Union Spotlight President’s Column Taking a Deeper Dive Toward Addressing Inequities We know that we have work to do Why is this a priority now? Events within our organization and within the in recent years have highlighted the communities and institutions in which shortcomings of our society when it we live and work. comes to achieving racial equity. The Karen Strickland Occupy Movement made “the 1%” an We have long taken an active role in everyday concept, and an important advocating for racial equity in various FT Washington is made up of one. Yet when we dig into the disparity ways, such as providing financial and/ members who work in education between the 1% and the 99%, we find A or staff support to organizations such and are also family members, parents, alarming differences in income and as Equity in Education Coalition, The community members, students, and wealth based on race within the 99%. Racial Equity Team, the Asian Pacific more. As such, we can see how our According to a study by the public American Labor Alliance, Coalition schools and colleges both perpetuate policy organization Demos (http:// of Black Trade Unionists, A. Philip racial inequity and possess enormous www.demos.org), the median wealth Randolph Institute, Pride at Work, and potential to reclaim the promise of of White households in 2011 was more. We have also participated over racial equity. Our work is to overcome $111,146, for Black households it was the years in the May Day Immigration the challenges and realize our $7,113, and for Latino households it March, the Pride Parade, and actions aspirations of racial equity. was $8,348 (Asian-Pacific Islanders, in support of legislation and policy Native Americans and other group By challenges, I mean disparate promoting equity and social justice. data wasn’t included). Because homes discipline practices, lower graduation are a dominant source of wealth for We have begun elevating this work rates, lower college enrollment rates, middle America, the disparate rates of to a higher priority and examining and underrepresentation of teachers home ownership (73%, 45% and 47% deeply what we must do to achieve of color in K-12 and higher education. respectively) , are a significant factor . racial equity within our organization, Outside the schoolhouse, I mean police our workplaces, and our communities. violence, community violence, pay Another problem called out in The staff has engaged in conversation and wealth inequity, and uneven rates recent years is the “school-to-prison and training on the subject of racial of unemployment and engagement of pipeline.” Discipline policies are equity to deepen our understanding people of color in our union. unevenly applied, with students of and ability to achieve our aspirations. color disproportionately suspended I aspire to full participation of all Another step in this process is a series and expelled. Add to that an increased people regardless of skin color, gender, of articles in the Spotlight over the presence of law enforcement in country of origin, or age, in our next year, in which we’ll focus on race the schools and the result is the communities and our union. I aspire to and racism in the interest of gaining criminalization of young people and a world in which we recognize, value, clarity on this issue and what we can students of color on a path to prison and create space for the differences do to address it. We recognize that instead of college, apprenticeship, and among us, understanding that these inequity occurs on the basis of other other life-enriching opportunities. differences are a source of powerful characteristics, e.g. gender identity, ideas and solutions, and that we are and that our members belong to more And none of us can see the all too Stronger Together. than one group that experiences frequent and horrifying police disparate treatment. Understanding shootings of Black and Brown men and At AFT Washington, we recognize this intersectionality is necessary to boys without recognizing that we all that our union has an essential role in our work and won’t be lost, even as we must play a role in ensuring a society building a more just and fair society. zero in on race. (Continued on pg. 8) Union Spotlight | 3 Fight Like Hell for the Living Photo credit: Christine Landon By Richard Burton, Internal Organizer form of several actions: • testimony before local city councils, his year’s winner of the • “Work to Rule” campaign, • opinion pieces published in Washington State Labor countless protest rallies, and T local newspapers, Council’s Mother Jones Award for demonstrations at the meetings a collective group is the United of the college’s Board of • Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Faculty of Green River College Trustees, filings, Local 2195, jointly represented by • open letters to college • three Votes of No Confidence in AFT Washington and WEA. The administration, President Ely and one such Vote Mother Jones Award is given by the against the college’s Board, State Labor Council to recognize • campus-wide public forums, • a one-day walkout, and members and organizations who are • securing the passage of a struggling for dignity and respect for supportive resolution from the • a strike, for the first time in 40 all workers. Washington State Labor Council years. (WSLC), While they succeeded in securing Dating back at least to the Fall the resignation of President Ely in of 2012, faculty at Green River • flash mobs, June, their struggle continues. These College have been subjected to • a Grinch “Lump of Coal” faculty – strengthened with the an increasingly hostile, virulently campaign, outstanding work of students, anti-union, corporatized college • a “Let Them Eat Cake” rally, supportive WFSE staff, Auburn and administration led by President complete with a photo of Kent community supporters, elected Eileen Ely (pronounced like “Queen” Ely, officials, and the broader labor “EElee”).