Passed unanimously by the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association’s executive board…

 

WHEREAS the Chicago Teachers Union has been negotiating since 2014 for a just contract, and

WHEREAS Chicago students and teachers have faced attacks on public education that mirror those in New York State and around the country, and

WHEREAS Mayor Rahm Emanuel has threatened to eliminate city pension contributions for CTU members, which would effectively cut their pay by 7 percent, and

WHEREAS the CTU engaged in a successful strike in 2012, joining with parents, students, and communities to fight for educational justice and the schools Chicago’s students deserve, and

WHEREAS on September 28th, 95.6% of Chicago teachers voted to authorize a strike, and

WHEREAS, CTU has released a report, titled “A Just Chicago: Fighting for the City Our Students Deserve”, which, as the union puts it “demonstrates that challenges in housing, employment, justice and health care relate directly to education; solutions require a narrowing of the opportunity gap brought on by poverty, racism and segregation,” making CTU’s fight for a contract a touchstone for a wider struggle against austerity and for economic and racial justice, therefore be it

RESOLVED that the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association supports the CTU in its fight to negotiate a contract that meets the needs of its members, their students, and their communities, and be it further

RESOLVED that the PJSTA will launch a solidarity campaign, to be shared via social media, in its schools and encourage all of its members to participate in the campaign as a show of support and solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Chicago, and be it further

RESOLVED that the PJSTA will urge its entire membership to wear red on Tuesday, October 11th in a show of solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the CTU, and be it further

RESOLVED that the PJSTA contribute to the CTU’s solidarity fund when information for such fund becomes available, and be it further

RESOLVED that the PJSTA share information with its general membership on how to contribute to the solidarity fund and urge each of its members to contribute individually as well, and be it further

RESOLVED that the PJSTA executive board engage the general membership in discussions on the strike, informing them of the issues involved and drawing parallels to the similar situations that impact educators in New York, and be it further

RESOLVED that the Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association urges NYSUT and its affiliates to adopt a similar resolution.