Hundreds Rally for Hayward Teachers

The new contract was decided last night and even before ratifying it, the teachers are returning to work this morning for a half day. They vote on it this afternoon. See:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/04/26/BAGOHPFPLT13.DTL
Since lots of other contracts expired at the same time, they should have all gone on strike at the same time so they all could win much better results. We do not know the results at this time but a teacher's pay should start at $80,000 a year since one is supposed to have a college degree to do the job. Also included in any contract should be demands for enough books in excellent condition and up-to-date and supplies on hand at all times, a cafeteria that provides free hot breakfast and lunch to everyone, including students, staff and teachers as there are thousands of children coming to school hungry making it impossible to learn, a nurse on the staff at every school who annually checks the children's vision and hearing in the entire school, all physical conditions be working and safe including but not limited to the bathrooms, water fountains, heaters, and windows, and all schools starting in fifth grade and every grade thereafter have an active campaign to support the gay and women's liberation movements and opposing racism. What was asked for was so minimal that it is hard to believe the teachers ever had a union.

It was a great school board meeting last night . No thanks to the actual board members of course , they should all be recalled! In contrast all four of the Student board kids backed the Teachers.Of the forty of so speakers during public comment only two opposed the strike . Several parents said that if the district got a injunction to try to force the teachers back they wouldn't send their kids back under those circumstances . Several H.E.A. strikers spoke . Two members of other unions excited the crowd . Richard Mellor, with A.F.S.C.M. E. and Labor Voice talked about how the school board has lied about the financial situation , that the money for the teachers demands is there . He also said that with the $ that the US govt. has spent in Iraq 7, 000, 000 new teachers could be hired . Stan Woods a member of the I.L.W.U. was great . He started out slow and then slammed the school district . He asked how could they claim poverty and pay the scabs three hundred a day while real subs only get $120 ? He mentioned the union busting law firm they have hired , at the probable cost of tens of thousands $. I especially liked the part where he described the 3% of the teachers that crossed the picket lines as people that have snubbed the democratic process of the union and ''betrayed' their brothers and sisters . Damm right ! They should be kicked out of the Union !
Nothing to do with nothing but their accents were interesting . Richard was a English immigrant and sounded like Michael Caine . I think Stan was from the Southwest and sounded like Tommy Lee Jones.
Back to the strike , is it over ? I hope so if the teachers have won . Does anyone know if parents , community members can sit in on the ratification vote ? (It's today at 2 at the Sunset Adult Center 22100 Princeton St . )

I think the comments about pushing harder on issues of school facilities, LGBT liberation, etc. are good points coming from the right place, but they come off as really loopy in the context of this bitter strike.

I absolutely disagree with the implication that the teachers' union sold out its members or is as ineffective as just plain ol' being unorganized.

This is/was a model strike by many standards: Militant, well-organized, built alliances with parents/students, and focused on an impressive demand for a 16.84% raise where many unions (like United Teachers Los Angeles) aimed for 3% in their last negotiations.

Anyway, just my two cents.

97% of the Teachers supporting the strike , only a handfull scabbing. 80% of parents backing the strikers by keeping their kids out of the struck schools . Big marches, rallies, massive solidarity by motorists . Some problems . Not enough active solidarity by other Unions , with some notable exceptions like the two brothers that Gloria referred to. The Teachers did Vote today by a wide margin to accept the contract,But it could have turned out differently . There shouldn't have been any return to work until the workers ratified .
All in all though a very good strike . Victory for a damm change !