Week of May 08, 2000

* AFT Members Visit Capitol Hill in Lobbying Blitz for ESEA
* Don't Put U.S.-China Relations on 'Automatic,' Says Feldman
* Employment Services Operations Shortchanged, Warns Labor
* Louisiana AFT Nets Huge Turnout for Rally on Pay
* Campaign Issues Favor Gore, Local Leaders Told
* AFT Seeks Contract Language on Professional Development
* Computer Stats…NBPTS Feedback…Where and When

CAPITOL HILL LOBBYING BLITZ ON ESEA

Nearly 30 AFT leaders and members from 10 states fanned out over Capitol Hill May 4 to deliver an urgent and tough message to their senators: Federal funds targeted to children and schools that need them most must not be converted to block grants and vouchers. In conjunction with a national "call-in" day to register opposition to S.2, legislation reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and now being considered by the Senate, the AFT members--many of them teachers and PSRPs from the classroom--came calling on the offices of the senators. ESEA was first passed in 1965 and governs key federal programs, including Title I. S.2., however, would turn Title I funds into block grants instead of targeting these funds to schools and students with the greatest needs. It would also permit federal funds to be used for vouchers. The lobbying efforts were tremendously effective, says Kim Moran, deputy director of the AFT's political and legislative mobilization department. "We could really tell what it's like to be in a classroom and the importance of having money in the classroom targeted to disadvantaged students," she says. "If states were free to use the money any way they wanted, these programs wouldn't get funded."

Among the last to return from their lobbying foray on Capitol Hill were AFT and labor representatives from Connecticut, who visited both of their senators, Chris Dodd and Joseph Lieberman. "We hoped to help them understand something about the role of paraprofessionals and school-related personnel in the schools and the importance of Title I money to the work they do," said Steve Ozga, a staff representative with the AFT-affiliated Connecticut Federation of Educational and Professional Employees. The AFT delegation from Connecticut got an extra boost; they were accompanied by the president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, John W. Olsen. "I think we conveyed a real sense of urgency to the senators," Olsen said. Because debate is continuing on the bill, AFT members and leaders are encouraged to keep calling their senators or send letters/faxes. For details, visit our "Contact Congress" area.

FELDMAN: DON'T PUT U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS ON 'AUTOMATIC'

Congress must continue its annual review of trade relations with China, which will pressure that nation to comply with trade agreements and clean up its human rights record, AFT president Sandra Feldman said in a recent letter to Capitol Hill. The week of May 22, the House of Representatives will vote on a proposal to grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), which would put U.S.-China trade relations on "automatic pilot" by eliminating the now-annual review. The proposal, by terminating Congress's annual review of U.S.-Chinese trade relations, would remove one powerful tool for exposing suspected labor abuses in China.

"The Chinese record of non-enforcement of trade agreements and its abysmal record of denying human and worker rights argue powerfully against granting China PNTR status," Feldman wrote. "The annual vote on China has uncovered workers' rights violations--including the use of forced or prison labor in the Chinese export sector and the repression of religious and labor leaders…. Without an annual congressional vote on Chinese trade, there will be no rein on the Chinese government's treatment of its citizens."

EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OPERATIONS SHORTCHANGED, LABOR WARNS

The AFT and other labor groups have combined forces in an effort to boost federal funding for state unemployment insurance and employment service operations. "Funding for the employment service is at a shockingly low level," a coalition of labor unions stressed in a recent letter to Rep. C.W. Bill Young, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Employment service funding has been stagnant for five years, and staffing levels have dropped by at least half since the mid-1980s.

The coalition also backed efforts to increase support for reemployment services provided to workers who receive unemployment benefits. Due to inadequate resources, the employment service only refers about 35 percent of the 2.2 million Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants. Clients were unemployed an average of 14.5 weeks--significantly longer than in 1989, when unemployment was higher. The problem stems, in part, from understaffing. Local reempolyment offices aren't offering adequate person-to-person services, the group believes. The coalition has asked Congress to back the administration's request for an additional $50 million for reemployment services, as well as a $93 million increase and restructuring of Unemployment Insurance administrative funding.

LFT TURNS 'EM OUT FOR PAY RAISE DEMONSTRATION

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers turned out 10,000 educators and other supporters for the largest education rally in state history in Baton Rouge on May 3. Their goal? To secure serious improvement in the pay scales of Louisiana's teachers, pay that ranks 46 of 50 states nationally. The demonstration was designed to press Gov. Mike Foster and the legislature to take action in the current legislative session ending June 7 and provide funding necessary to make teacher salaries competitive with other professions. Turnout was so strong that seven school systems were shut down for the day. "The legislature has to be thinking, 'If they're willing to mobilize this hard just to attend a rally, what will they be willing to do if we don't take action?'" asked LFT spokesman Les Landon. Among those speaking at the rally were AFT executive vice president Nat LaCour, LFT president Fred Skelton, and seven local presidents, including master of ceremonies Joe Potts, president of the Jefferson Parrish federation.

CAMPAIGN ISSUES FAVOR GORE, LOCAL LEADERS TOLD

The presidential race will be a "tough, close fight," but Vice President Gore will prevail, Gore campaign official Michael Whouley assured attendees of the AFT's newly reinstituted Local Presidents' Conference last month. Whouley said polls show a clear majority of Americans believe the vice president is better prepared to lead the country. In addition, he said, the issues that Americans care most about---a strong economy, health care, Social Security and education---favor Gore and Democratic candidates.

Education will continue to be a hot topic throughout the campaign, Whouley said. The vice president, he pointed out, recently spent five days in the home of a teacher, accompanying that teacher to school. Gore used the opportunity to hear from teachers, school bus drivers, custodians, administrators, parents and students, Whouley said. AFT secretary-treasurer Edward J. McElroy, who chaired the general session at which Whouley spoke, said that, "based upon whom we represent," the AFT and its locals "have no choice but to be involved in the political process." He urged local leaders to meet members at the local level and use personal contact to explain relevant issues to them.

UNION SEEKS CONTRACT LANGUAGE ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The AFT educational issues department is looking for contract language that supports professional development of school staff. If your local has been successful in negotiating contract provisions which ensure that members receive quality professional development--either directly from the union or from other sources--we would like you to share them with us. Examples might be provisions that establish the union as the provider of professional development or mentors for new teachers; provide teachers with time or reimbursement to participate in or lead professional development activities; or establish joint union-district committees to develop professional development programs/plans. Please send any contractual provisions and comments you may have on how the language has been implemented to Frank Carrano, AFT Educational Issues Department, 555 New Jersey Ave., N.W., Washington DC, 20001; if you have your contract in electronic format, please e-mail relevant sections to fcarrano@aft.org.

COMPUTER STATS…NCES has just released its brief called "Teacher Use of Computers and the Internet in Public Schools." This Statistics in Brief discusses public school teachers' use of computers and the Internet and their feelings of preparedness in doing so. The brief examines teachers' own applications of these tools as well as the assignments they give their students to use computers or the Internet. The brief examines these issues in the context of teachers' experience, teachers' professional development, school level and school poverty level. To view, download or print this report, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2000090.

NBPTS FEEDBACK NEEDED…The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has requested AFT assistance in providing feedback on the draft NBPTS Library Media Standards developed by a committee of outstanding library media educators from all over the country for library media specialists. These standards, when completed, will form the basis of National Board certification in the field of library media and will also be a valuable professional development resource for library media specialists. Please e-mail your name and mailing address to jsnowden@aft.org; a copy of the standards and feedback form will be sent to you. The deadline for the feedback is June 16.

WHERE AND WHEN… On May 9, AFT president Sandra Feldman will be on the program at a press conference in Washington, D.C., announcing the launch of the National Alliance for Civic Education. Later that day, she will attend a meeting of members of the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century. On May 10, she will attend a board meeting of the Center for National Policy. That evening, Feldman will attend a dinner hosted by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) for labor leaders. She will participate in an NCATE meeting on May 11. On May 12, Feldman will be in Orlando, Fla., where she will address the founding convention of the merged FEA/United and NEA Florida affiliate…. On May 10, AFT executive vice president Nat LaCour will attend the A. Philip Randolph Institute's national board meeting in Washington, D.C.; on May 13, he will bring greetings to AFT Maryland's state convention in Baltimore, Md.

American Federation of Teachers, AFL•CIO - 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW - Washington, DC 20001