#WeAreCSO
April 12-13, at the San Jose Marriott, 301 S. Market St. in San Jose!
The New Business Items submission form will be available on Saturday morning and NBI’s are due to Michelle Washington by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Reimbursement amounts are $650 for members who live in the north, $750 for CSO coming from the south (additional $100 for associate members).
Any questions? Please email John Vigrass at jmvigrass27@gmail.com.
| Tom Pinkava, Chair (R3) | Brian Stafford (R2) |
| Kei Swensen (R1) | Aisha Blanchard-Young (R3) |
| Julian Peeples (R1) | Helen Farias (R4) |
| Annie Ogata (R2) | Tomás Martínez (R4) |
AT the March 6th Region 4 staff meeting, all 37 CSO in attendance wore black and walked in together as a show of solidarity, specifically directed at Laura Kurre, R4’s acting manager until March 14th. Ironically, Laura was also dressed in all black. At the conclusion of the meeting, a CSO colleague asked Laura if her attire was a sign of solidarity with CSO, and she responded that she supports solidarity always, across all regions and all roles. With 100% participation from R4 CSO, we stood together to fight back against CTA’s bad hiring practice.
submitted by the CSO Organizing Team
On Saturday, Jan. 25, our union sent a clear message to CTA Executive Officers David Goldberg, Leslie Littman and Erika Jones that we are united against their decision to hire a manager with a problematic history of mistreating her employees.
CSO reached more than 500 CTA members as they exited the First General Session of State Council. CSO provided CTA members with our informational flyer, asked them to stand with us by contacting CTA’s executive officers, and engaged CTA members one-on-one, resulting in positive connections, conversations and a continued path forward to building a stronger CTA together. Through these interactions, CTA members let us know that they support us and are disappointed with the decision by the CTA Board of Directors to hire this troubling candidate for the Region 4 Manager position.
CSO’s Organizing Team, with support from CSO officers and reps, worked together to execute our successful action. Within a five-day window, we made calls and held one-on-ones to secure commitments from CSO in Regions 3 & 4, and those working at State Council. A total of 55 CSO participated in our action with 19 attending from Region 4. Additionally, 23 CSO attended despite not having to work during State Council weekend. We appreciate everyone who took part in this action.
Please see photos below and contact your CSO Cluster Leader if you have any questions.
Here’s the Fall issue of the CSO Organizer! President Bruce Saathoff shares how CSO is helping build a stronger CTA to win the resources our communities deserve. CSO members were out in force to support numerous Fall political campaigns. #WeAreCSO #UnionStrong
NSO will be offering a limited series of virtual trainings to assist affiliates and members with needed skill and knowledge acquisition during these virtual times.
All sessions will be held on Saturdays beginning at 1:00pm (Eastern time) and will run for approximately 2 hours.There are limited spots available and a waitlist will be created as sessions fill up.
Registered participants will be sent a Zoom link prior to their session to access the training.
February 27, 2021—Unionism, NSO and YOU!
Designed for newer staff (less than 5 years), this session will discuss what it means to be a member of your staff union; where NSO fits in and what is the role of a union member in the larger world of organized labor. Some history, some resources, and a chance to discuss threats and opportunities facing organized labor.
March 13, 2021—Public vs. Private: Understanding the National Labor Relations Act
As a private sector union, NSO members have different rights and protections than public school employees. “In this session, NSO members will learn what types of practices and behaviors of union members are protected and which are not under the National Labor Relations Act as determined by the NLRB, focusing on how that organization has most recently dealt with social media and public conversations and criticisms of employers and how our collective bargaining agreements tie into protecting our members’ rights under the NLRA.
April 3, 2021—Getting from A to Z: A Bargaining Primer
A good session for beginning bargainers and those needing a refresher. Everything you need to know from prior to bargaining through the bargaining process will be discussed. This will be an interactive session between the participants and the trainer. Participants will understand the necessary steps and the various options available to reach an agreement.
April 17, 2021—Grievances 101
Grievances are a necessary activity in protecting what you have negotiated into your contract. In this training, discussions and activities will focus on your duty of fair representation, knowing the rights of the member and union advocate, gathering information when a member has a problem, determining the path to get a resolution, understanding your grievance procedure, and the act of writing a grievance. You will need to have your contract to fully participate in this training.
May 1, 2021–All Aboard the Ally-ship: Practicing Cultural Competency
This workshop focuses on allyship as an introduction to cultural competency. As we strive to become a more culturally competent society, recognizing opportunities to ally with marginalized communities is an important practice. In this session, we will help one another identify the spaces we each occupy and how those spaces affect those around us. How do we support our members and SO sisters and brothers who are different than we are? How do we check our biases and ensure they are not influencing our work and our workplace?
May 15, 2021—Writing Contract Language
Writing effective contract language is an engaging, hands-on course designed to help participants identify contract language pitfalls. Participants will develop skills and learn best practices for their bargaining needs. Clear contract language enables better management/labor relations by avoiding varying (and unintended) interpretations. Participants will be able to recognize problem areas in their contracts and write clear, comprehensive language for new contract provisions. You will need to have your contract to fully participate in this training.
If you are a CSO member and want to know how YOUR CSO pension works, click the link below to watch a video explanation.
CSO Pension – How Does it Work?
If you want to see the Dec. 10, 2019, CSO Pension Webinar, click the link below.
Scabby the Rat is known worldwide as a labor icon, a symbol representing the unfair and unsafe practices of employers and union busters. Scabby, an inflatable rat balloon ranging in size from 6-20 feet, is the brainchild of two union organizers from the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.
Scabby first took to the picket lines in Illinois in 1990. Since that time, Scabby has appeared at strikes and protests from coast to coast. You may have recently seen Scabby on the line with teachers in Oakland or recall a yellow version of Scabby from the historic Chicago teachers strike of 2012.
When Scabby appears on a picket line, at an informational leafleting, or at a rally, you can be sure labor unrest exists between the workers and management. Scabby sends an unmistakable message that the union is ready to fight the boss for better working conditions.
The courts recently ruled that the use of Scabby is protected free speech.
Employers must learn that if they don’t want negative attention from Scabby, they must respect workers and honor their contracts! Rest assured – when bad management and union busting tactics infest worksites, Scabby the Rat will appear!
The labor mascot representing employees engaged in the struggle for workplace dignity is Sabo-Tabby, or Sabotage. Sabo-Tabby was originally a mascot of the International Workers of the World (IWW), most likely the creation of Ralph Chaplin, author of Solidarity Forever. Sabo-Tabby is a symbol for direct action at the point of production – a work slowdown or strike. Often seen on union buttons, flyers, and posters, Sabo-Tabby’s message is an injury to one is an injury to all. Over the years, bosses and their politicians have portrayed Sabo-Tabby as too radical, but today’s workers of the world, whether baristas, bricklayers, or CSO, know Sabo-Tabby’s message of solidarity is the only way to rid the workplace of Scabby infestations!
CSO members walk the picket line with CTA members at the recent New Haven TA strike.
Being a member of CTA is a mark of distinction. Being an active member or a leader even more so. It shows a passion for the profession, an understanding of the value of a strong union and what it takes to keep it thriving.
More than money or slogans or mission statements, it takes people—like you. Did you know there is a union within your union? One comprised of people just as dedicated and hardworking as you who heard the call, and made it a profession?
For certain you know us…we work behind the scenes, beside the leaders, building and advancing the cause of public education. We are at your bargaining tables and training your members at every conference. We are in the state capitol. On every State Council committee. At every Service Center and Regional Resource Center. When your members run afoul, we are there. You see us getting after it at every NEA RA. We are the 275-strong California Staff Organization.
Our union is much like your local chapter. We have a governing structure, rep council, bargaining team, committees, and a contract with CTA that we negotiate with management just like you do with your districts.
There are a few differences between our union and yours: While CTA chapters are recognized under the state Educational Employment Relations Act, CSO is recognized under the federal National Labor Relations Act. While most California educational employers have separate unions for certificated and classified employees, we have a sister union called the California Associate Staff.
Your local Primary Contact Staff person who is always just a call or text away, the C4OB staff who prep you for bargaining, the regional organizers who swoop in for a crisis, the political organizers who help you flip your school boards when they do you wrong, the Human Rights, Governmental Relations, Legal, Communications, Member Benefits, ISSD, TID, Instruction and Professional Development staff who work tirelessly to bring value to membership…we are CSO. Even some of your associate staff in your local office are CSO members!
We are proud of the work we do on behalf of our members, leaders, and the students of this state. Say “hi” to one of us and ask us about our union!
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