On December 21, 2009 over one hundred parents, kids and teachers rallied to protest the Sunnyvale Congregational Community Church’s decision to sell Community Preschool (CP) to buyers who had planned to gut the program in the middle of the school year.

CP workers voted unanimously to form their union in November of 2008. Since then the church has invested thousands of dollars in fighting them. This decision to sell to a buyer who had no concern for workers or the families that depended on Community Preschool for quality care and education was unacceptable. After two meetings, where the prospective buyers told parents that they would change CP from a preschool dedicated to 2-5 year olds to a facility for kids from 8 weeks old to fifth grade in early January, many parents and teachers were left in tears.

The union called all parents and community supporters to action for a protest in front of the church.  Sunnyvale Mayor, Tony Spitaleri, spoke in support of teachers and parents, and even the Grinch made a special appearance. The rally was the culminating effort of a coalition built between the union and parents dedicated to preserving CP. The rally made the 5, 6 and 7 o’clock news programs on two major network television stations,
as well as a story in the San Jose Mercury newspaper.

Photo: The Grinch listens to the Mayor of Sunnyvale speak in support of staff and families
of Community Preschool at the 12/21 CP Parent Rally.

On Tuesday, January 12, church representatives announced that the sale had fallen through. They also stated that the program, including union jobs, will be maintained until the end of the school year and that any new owner will have to offer employment to current CP staff.

This was a big victory for the staff and parents of Community Preschool and a demonstration of the power that even a relatively small group of workers and advocates can wield when they act collectively through their union.

Photo: Linda Medwin’s grandsons made their own picket signs to support their grandma! Linda is the CP Assistant Director and a union leader.