Your local union may be poised to take advantage of the union’s newest team-based training opportunity at the second annual CFT Leadership Institute that will be held August 11–13 at UCLA.

At the CFT Leadership Institute, participants will have the opportunity to examine their individual leadership behaviors and their preferred working styles, as well as to analyze how their leadership team works together.

Cathy Campbell, president of the Berkeley Federation of Teachers, said last year’s inaugural Institute “provided our local with a golden opportunity to step away from our daily demands and tasks and to focus on comprehensive and proactive planning.”

Campbell said her local team developed a vision and an action plan for 2007–08 that “helped us to be transformational, rather than reactive.”  She also praised the opportunity to share perspectives within the union’s group, which has “led to greater insight and strength through unity.” 

Team member Jessica Quindel, a beginning teacher of communications, science and math at Berkeley High concurred, adding that it was powerful to learn so much about the union at this early stage of her career. “Not only has the information I gained at the institute better prepared me for being on our union’s negotiating team this year, I have been able to apply what I’ve learned about leadership styles to a wide range of professional and personal relationships.” 

This 52-hour institute promises to be intense, energizing and inspirational. The end result will be improved communication within your leadership team, an enhanced knowledge of leadership, and an intentional plan—a road map—for your local in the coming academic year.

CFT can help defray the cost of sending your team to the Institute, so start talking and planning now. To be eligible, your local president and four other officers must attend together.

To learn more, or to obtain an application, contact the CFT Training Department at (714) 754-6638 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Join USLAW: Keep up the pressure to end the war in Iraq

With the United States now in its sixth year of military occupation in Iraq, U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW) wants to redouble its efforts to end the war.

USLAW has sponsored numerous anti-war mobilizations and two tours of Iraqi union leaders, putting a human face on the occupation for American workers. The second tour was instrumental in getting the AFL-CIO — for the first time in its history — to oppose the government during wartime by calling for “rapid withdrawal.” 

CFT was one of the first unions to join USLAW, a national organization of 170 affiliated local, state, regional and national labor organizations, together representing millions of members. USLAW memberships, annual “investments in peace,” for local unions are based on your union’s number of members. Individuals can invest for $25 per year.

To learn more, go to www.uslaboragainstwar.org. Correspondence and financial contributions should be sent to USLAW, 1718 M Street NW, Suite 153, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Raoul Teilhet Scholarships Awarded to high school seniors

This year the CFT Raoul Teilhet Scholarship Program awarded $3000 scholarships to 15 high school seniors planning to attend four-year institutions of higher learning.

To date, the union has awarded $596,000 in scholarships to 234 dependents of CFT members. This year’s scholarship recipients are listed below with the names of their parents who are members of AFT local unions.

Applications are now being accepted from continuing college students through July 1. Recipients will be announced prior to the fall semester. To obtain an application, go to www.cft.org, or phone the CFT Burbank office, 818-843-8226, to have one mailed to you.

Jade Case-Barnes, daughter of Julie Case, Greater Santa Cruz Federation of Teachers

Michael Duarte, son of Wendy Ullman, United Professors  of Marin

Aaron Niven Firestone, son of Margaret Niven, Faculty of UC Santa Cruz

Rachel Hamer, daughter of Jaclyn Hamer, Oxnard Federation of Teachers

Michael Landry, son of Beth Landry, Greater Santa Cruz Federation of Teachers

Alexandra Caroline Maramba, daughter of Adelia Galeos Medel, United Educators of San Francisco

Sophie Nguyen, daughter of Catherine Galopin, Novato Federation of Teachers

David Orozco, son of Carmen Orozco, Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers

Matthew Pang, son of Chor Yin Pang, United Educators of San Francisco

Benjamin M. Rangell, son of Emily Abbink and Paul Rangell, Faculty of UC Santa Cruz

Lauren Lynne Roberts, daughter of  Valerie L. Roberts, Oxnard Federation of Teachers

Matthew Schefke, son of Judith Schefke, United Teachers Los Angeles

Andrew Pressman Shewell, son of Lauren Pressman, Lompoc Federation of Teachers

Trevor Sughrue, son of Mersi Sughrue, Santa Cruz Council of Classified Employees

Vivian Wong, daughter of Paul and Clara Wong, United Educators of San Francisco