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Antonucci: California Teachers Association elected a new president. Then, it ousted its powerful executive director. Coincidence?
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. The California Teachers Association surprised just about everyone in the state’s education arena — including me — last week by abruptly dismissing executive director and longtime political powerhouse Joe Nuñez. “The California Teachers Association recognizes the accomplishments and legacy of veteran educator and union advocate...
By Mike Antonucci | July 24, 2019
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Antonucci: What does it take to resign from a California teachers union?
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. When the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2018 that public employees were no longer required to financially support a union, it seemed pretty straightforward. If you weren’t a member, you no longer had to pay agency fees, and if you were a member, you had the...
By Mike Antonucci | July 17, 2019
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Antonucci: NEA rejects many California delegation proposals for its national agenda
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. The National Education Association held its annual Representative Assembly in Houston last week. Six thousand delegates, representing teachers and education support workers in every state, met to debate and vote on the national union’s budget and agenda for the 2019-20 school year. The delegation from the California...
By Mike Antonucci | July 9, 2019
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Antonucci: One year later, it’s clear — the Janus effect is not yet what either side had hoped for, or feared
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. In June 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public-sector unions could no longer charge representation fees to nonmembers. The decision in Janus v. AFSCME was expected to have an immediate explosive effect. Unions had argued before the court that the loss of fees would be devastating,...
By Mike Antonucci | June 25, 2019
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Antonucci: 650,000 x $54,144 = ? California’s teacher retirement system by the numbers
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. You can’t get very far in the public education policy debate without coming across the pension issue. School districts are seeing a greater portion of their budgets going toward covering their obligations to retired employees. The fiscal pinch makes negotiating with current employees even more...
By Mike Antonucci | June 18, 2019
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Antonucci: LA Unified & UTLA like to cite school funding in NY and CA when crying poverty. They’re just playing a numbers game
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Voters in the Los Angeles Unified School District last week rejected a parcel tax designed to raise $500 million annually for district operations. Needing a two-thirds majority to pass, Measure EE failed to receive 46 percent of the vote. The measure had the support of...
By Mike Antonucci | June 12, 2019
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Antonucci: California Teachers Association’s strategic plan — how’s it doing?
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Back in 2014, the California Teachers Association generated a long-term strategic plan. Titled “Our Union, Our Future,” it described eight broad goals, including community engagement and coalition building, organizing unrepresented education workers and “transforming our profession.” In April, CTA assembled a working group of union officers, representatives...
By Mike Antonucci | June 4, 2019
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Antonucci: Want to know where your education dollars go? Take a look at labor costs — it’s nearly all salary and benefits
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Any debate about public education finances invariably devolves to whether we are spending enough “in the classroom” and how much “administrative bloat” there is. Textbooks, maintenance, facilities, curriculum and student programs all come under scrutiny, either to find savings or to fight for additional funding....
By Mike Antonucci | May 29, 2019
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Antonucci: As L.A. voters weigh a parcel tax, here’s a stroll through 31 years of California school funding claims
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. In two weeks, a small percentage of those who live within the boundaries of the Los Angeles Unified School District will go to the polls to vote on Measure EE, a parcel tax designed to raise an estimated $500 million annually for the city’s schools. How will...
By Mike Antonucci | May 22, 2019
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Antonucci: National Education Association may lose thousands of Las Vegas members if city’s bus drivers, food service workers & custodians shift to Teamsters
Mike Antonucci’s Union Report appears weekly at LA School Report. Most of the education support employees working for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas may soon find themselves switching state and national unions. A loss for the National Education Association will turn into a gain for the Teamsters. The Education Support Employees Association is affiliated...
By Mike Antonucci | May 15, 2019