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Members of University Professional/Technical Employees on the picket lines before 9 am on March 4 at one of the entrances to UC Berkeley. In background students and faculty line up for buses to Sacramento for rallying and lobbying against budget cuts, student fee increases, and misplaced priorities. Across California thousands of teachers, school staff, students and community supporters took part in the Day of Action.
For more pictures click here.
RALLY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
On March 4, come out and rally for public education. Whether you are faculty, staff, student or parent, you know how important public education is. Whether you are K-12, community college, or university, we are all in this together. California's future is at stake. MEDIA CALL 510-579-3343
The governor and the state Legislature have cut the budget for public education by $17 billion in two years. What has that meant?
- Thousands of layoffs of K-12 teachers and other school employees.
- Class sizes soaring.
- Furloughs and layoffs of university and college instructors and staff.
- Tens of thousands of eligible students denied classes or admission.
- Fee increases pricing working families out of higher education.
This was not inevitable. This was a conscious choice by the governor and legislators. In Oregon, on January 26, to protect public education and other vital social services from further devastation, the voters passed two ballot measures that raised taxes on the very rich and the corporations. If it can happen in Oregon it can happen here. It’s a question of priorities. Enough is enough!
Background
The CFT’s Executive Council passed a resolution in November supporting a call for a Day of Action on March 4, 2010. This call originated with the fall UC campus mobilizations, but included substantial support from CSU, community college, and K-12 educators as well as other UC employee unions. CFT urges our locals to participate in a statewide day of local action, the precise nature of which is to be determined locally, from demonstrations and rallies and teach-ins on campuses, to other actions where possible and appropriate. CFT seeks to broaden the impact of March 4 beyond educational institutions to other public and private sector workplaces, and to build public awareness of the damage being wreaked by state budget cuts on the quality of life for all Californians.
We will emphasize three themes:
- restore the promise of public education;
- rebuild a government and economy that works for all the people; and
- enact fair taxes to fund California's future.
The Day of Action will take place one day prior to the kickoff of a "March for California's Future," which will move from Bakersfield to Sacramento over the course of forty eight days, ending with a major rally in the Capitol.
March 4 is a day of local actions, but if you are looking for some ideas:
- demonstrate at your work site
- join with other public education unions and allies nearby in joint rallies, human billboards, press conferences, etc.
- unite as broadly as possible with students, parents, faculty, staff, and others to build a long term coalition to change the way California funds education and the rest of the public sector
- hold a teach-in and show how local cuts connect to the big picture of state funding cuts, and to the undemocratic and dysfunctional 2/3 legislative requirements to pass a budget or any new tax
- hold a town hall meeting about the state budget crisis
- leaflet public spaces about the above
- other actions as possible and appropriate
For more information about how to participate in the March 4 Day of Action, contact your local.
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