April-May 2008 Volume 61 Number 4

Upfront

• CFT on the frontlines to fight cuts to education and protect public services

All-Union News

• When teachers are devalued: The pain of being laid off 
• Independent films and inspiring books for the summer 
• Retire Smart: How much are you worth? 
• Statewide Primary June 3: Choose pro-education legislators
• Union watching the Runner Initiative

Features

• Convention 2008: Delegates decide union policies and priorities
• CFT honors Los Angeles teacher turned assemblyman as Legislator of the Year
• Ben Rust winner Canniff takes audience on a journey through union’s rich history
• Building a civilization: We need a new deal 
• Was your school or college a New Deal project?

Around CFT

• CFT offers second annual training intensive for leadership teams
• Join USLAW: Keep up the pressure to end the war in Iraq
• Raoul Teilhet Scholarships Awarded to high school seniors
• Union Writes

EC/K-12

• Preschool for all is “civil rights issue of our time”
• RAND studies point to school readiness gap 
• Classroom resources and advocacy for early educators 
• Beware new privatization scam: “Ed in 08”

Classified

• When layoffs loom: How classified unions can take an active role in decision-making
•  Know your rights in a classified layoff
•  Loss of our jobs is a public loss

Community College

• Lacking protections of K-12 system, colleges must scramble for promised funds 
• Give community colleges their backfill

University

• Why university students don’t protest high fees
• Coordinating UC-AFT budget response

Local Wire

• Union Gallery brings faculty art to the public
• Citrus adjuncts squeeze out overdue pay boost
• Local unions honor K-12 educators
• YouTube video a winner
• Rank & Files