To: WIS Colleagues
From: Joy Grabar
Date: 3-2-12017
Re: HSTA events for Tuesday, March 7 and until our contract is renewed!
This is a summary of the School Leader Lowdown, a special email bulletin for HSTA's school level leaders, chapter presidents, and board members. This document contains updates and information for union events statewide.
Tuesday, March 7 Day of Action
Goals:
- wear red
- morning sign waving at each school for 15-30 minutes before school starts
- gather all teachers in a common area in front of the school for a group photo, and participation check-in
- walk in to school as a group just before the start of the work day. Feel free to chant as you enter
- Testimony, oral and written, for presentation at the BOE meeting that evening
Why are we doing this?
1. The state (BOE, governor, and superintendent) needs to prioritize retaining quality, experienced teachers. But the state is not taking the negotiations process seriously by:
- Not bringing all team members to the table including their chief negotiator and governor's representative
- Not engaging in any significant way in discussions of our proposals, even non-cost items
- Not being available to bargain on a timely basis--30 days between sessions is not timely
2. There is a teacher shortage crisis -- and the problem is getting worse.
3. The state's current offer, made Jan. 19, 2017 of a 1% lump sum payment (bonus) in October of 2017 and 2018 is not adequate nor fair. It amounts to an average of about $550 per teacher per year, which is not enough to offset anticipated increasing health care costs and not enough to help attract and retain teachers.
Who should participate:
- Faculty members
- Interested parents, students, and community members
Highest participation wins kudos and calories!
- The top ten schools with the highest participation by percentage of members will receive special treats for their faculty and be highlighted on HSTA.org and Facebook page.
Sign waving advice
- Be sure to remain on public sidewalks; do not block roadways or driveways.
- Don't bunch up; space out volunteers for a better visual effect.
- Always smile, even if drivers frown or make obscene gestures.
- If you are close enough to drivers and their windows are open, say, "Mahalo!"
What should we chant?
Leaders in regular type; group in bold:
1) WHO'S GOT THE POWER? WE GOT THE POWER.
WHAT KIND OF POWER? UNION POWER!!!
2) HO HO, HEY HEY
H-S-T-A IS HERE TO STAY!
3) NO, NO, NO WAY
A TINY BONUS IS NOT O-K!
4) WE'RE TIRED, WE'RE SPENT
AND ONE PERCENT WON'T PAY THE RENT!
5) 1, 2, 3, 4
STUDENTS ARE WHO WE STAND FOR
5, 6, 7, 8
FAIR CONTRACT FROM THE STATE
6) WE'VE GOT GUTS AND WE'VE GOT NERVE
TO STAND FOR WHAT OUR KEIKI DESERVE
BOE testimony the night of March 7
- All islands: Write and submit testimony to the BOE asking for a fair contract at its March 7 night meeting.
T-SHIRTS
If you did not receive a hsta t-shirt, there are still some available.
Let Joy Grabar know and a shirt will be delivered to you.
This Blog:
Please subscribe to this blog in order to receive updates and information regarding hsta. As you may know, teachers are not allowed to utilize lotus notes for hsta-related communication; therefore, your subscription to this blog helps your School Level Leaders (Joy, Debbie, Kim, Randall, Chad, and Wendy) with dissemination of information and details about what's happening. We appreciate your efforts to stay informed, and be involved. ALOHA!
