Topic: Union Governance
CFT launches new identity to reflect diverse membership
Classified employees gain more recognition
This spring, CFT launched a new identity in recognition of its diverse membership. A primary goal of the rebrand was to integrate the tagline A Union of Educators and Classified Professionals to acknowledge that CFT represents more than teachers and faculty members.
Our diverse union also represents dozens of job classifications for classified employees and support staff, paraprofessionals, as well as certificated librarians, psychologists, speech pathologists, and many others, all of whom contribute to the success of our students’ education.
Jeff Freitas reelected CFT President, Luukia Smith Secretary Treasurer
Union Election Results
Results of the CFT officer elections were announced on May 1 after mail ballots were tabulated. The biennial election was held by mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a Virtual Convention. All newly elected leaders will take office on May 26, 2021.
President
Jeffery Freitas
Secretary Treasurer
Luukia Smith
Delegates pass wide range of resolutions — from their homes
Condemn anti-Asian violence, support wealth tax, mandating healthcare for part-time faculty
At this year’s CFT Convention, several resolutions provoked a lot of discussion, especially considering the attendees were virtually raising their hands to be acknowledged from their living rooms, rather than on the actual convention floor. Some of these included condemning anti-Asian violence, mandating healthcare for part-time faculty, reforming Social Security to support teacher retirement, supporting the PRO Act to increase union organizing, and maintaining a list of retirees to contact.
CFT Virtual Convention brings hope and change
SNAPSHOT — Delegates welcome Kamala Harris
The 78th CFT Convention with the theme Rise Up, Recover, and Rebuild had some firsts: the first one to be biennial rather than annual; the first under CFT’s new identity, A Union of Educators and Classified Professionals; the first with Jeff Freitas as the CFT president; and, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first one held virtually.
CFT mourns the passing of three vice presidents
In Memoriam
The CFT mourns the passing of three vice presidents in recent months.
Gemma Abels was an English teacher, former president of the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers, and a CFT Vice President. She passed away last fall following a five-year battle with ovarian cancer.
State of the Union
CFT Virtual Convention 2021
By CFT President Jeffery Freitas
Good morning, CFT. I’m thrilled to be here with all of you—my fellow CFT leaders, all my union siblings, CFT and local union staff, and invited guests.
CFT website, UTLA strike series capture first place honors
Union wins nine first place awards for communications
The CFT has won nine First Place awards in the International Labor Media Communications contest for 2019, in a competition delayed by a few months because of the pandemic.
2019 was a busy year for the CFT and for union communications. In the first three months alone, the union experienced the UTLA strike, the launch of the new CFT website, and CFT’s 100th Anniversary Convention.
Q&A Carl Williams: First classified AFT vice president from California
“We are essential and this work cannot be done without us”
On September 1, Carl Williams was elected to join 39 other AFT Vice Presidents from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Williams joins two other vice presidents from California, a group that has included former CFT Presidents Mary Bergan and Joshua Pechthalt over the years, and now current President Jeff Freitas.
State Council passes pandemic-related resolutions
First-ever online State Council brings large turnout
The CFT held its first online State Council on May 2. In what may be the highest attendance in recent years, about 140 representatives from local unions tuned in on a Saturday afternoon for the well-managed three-hour Zoom meeting that allowed delegates to vote on numerous policy issues before the Federation.
Classified members share spotlight with teachers at Centennial Convention
Delegates had a lot to celebrate as they convened for the CFT’s 100th Anniversary celebration in March.
The state’s largest local union, United Teachers Los Angeles, had held a wildly successful strike less than two months earlier. And the union’s block of classified employee members were set to begin the CFT’s second century with their highest union profile yet.
Delegates reaffirm support for part-time faculty voice in shared governance
While the issues of pay inequity, the lack of job security, and access to health benefits are major challenges that plague part-time faculty —collegiality, inclusion, and connection with their campuses and fellow faculty are also important for a part-time faculty member’s long-term involvement with a particular institution.
Key to increasing adjunct involvement and connection in the California community colleges is increasing both the opportunities for and compensation of part-time faculty participation in shared governance.
Jeff Freitas elected CFT President, Luukia Smith elected Secretary Treasurer
Delegates elect new officers to lead the Federation
WATCH THE VIDEO: Freitas, Smith accept the leadership of CFT
Delegates to the 100th Anniversary Convention elected the first classified member to hold a top leadership position in the CFT, Council of Classified Employees President Luukia Smith, as Secretary Treasurer. The man who has held that position, Jeff Freitas, was elected CFT’s new president.
Delegates pass wide-ranging resolutions at Convention
Topics range from rebranding and retirees to the Green New Deal
On its 100th Anniversary, the CFT voted to rebrand itself. In accordance with Resolution 1, which convention delegates passed unanimously, it will now be CFT: A Union of Educators and Classified Professionals. The change formally recognizes that the union proudly represents a broad spectrum of education workers.
Luukia Smith, elected Secretary Treasurer of the CFT by delegates, and the first classified employee to serve in this position, was first to rise in support of the change.
CFT Convention celebrates 100th Anniversary
Delegates elect new leaders, debate policy, and honor union's centennial
This past weekend over 600 delegates and guests gathered at the historic Millennium Biltmore hotel in downtown Los Angeles to take part in the 2019 CFT Convention. Throughout the weekend we celebrated CFT’s 100 year anniversary, recognizing the incredible activism, dedication, and success of generations of educators and classified professionals who worked tirelessly over a century for our students, our schools, and our professions.
State Council resolution reiterates support for statewide health insurance for part-timers
On May 5, the State Council approved a resolution put forth by the CFT Part-Time Committee, calling for CFT to sponsor legislation “to establish a permanent healthcare program for part-time faculty and their dependents.”
CFT Convention 2018: A snapshot summary in words and pictures
About 400 delegates at CFT Convention discussed resolutions on a broad range of policy issues; heard from the law school dean at UC Berkeley, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Tony Thurmond, the CFT-endorsed candidate for the job of superintendent of public instruction; joined thousands to rally and march for safer schools and common sense gun control; learned a whole lot about Janus v. AFSCME, a Supreme Court case that could effectively turn the public sector into a “right to work” zone; and heard from a teacher in West Virginia where they succeeded in getting a 5 percent raise for all public employees.
State of the Union Speech 2018
Delivered by President Josh Pechthalt at CFT Convention, March 24, 2018
This past year has been at times demoralizing, frightening, offensive and challenging. Yet through it all shines a ray of hope that something may be changing. In spite of all the administration’s bombastic rhetoric, or because of it, there seems to be broad opposition to Trump’s policies and growing clamor for something different.
Ben Rust Award: Dennis Kelly, United Educators of San Francisco
Convention 2018
United Educators of San Francisco Executive Vice President Susan Solomon started her speech at the Ben Rust Award luncheon by talking about some of the things that were happening 50 years ago – the Vietnam War dragging on and Martin Luther King getting assassinated while supporting striking garbage workers.
Floor debate: Delegates take decisive action
Pass resolutions on part-time faculty workload, McTeacher Nights, pesticide use, charter teacher retirement
About 400 delegates discussed resolutions on a broad range of policy issues; heard from the law school dean at UC Berkeley, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, and Tony Thurmond, the CFT-endorsed candidate for superintendent of public instruction; joined thousands to rally and march for safer schools and common sense gun control; learned a whole lot about Janus v. AFSCME, a Supreme Court case that could effectively turn the public sector into a “right to work” zone; and heard from a teacher in West Virginia where they succeeded in getting a 5 percent raise for all public employees.
New CCE president: Meet Luukia Smith
I’m Luukia Smith and I’m an accounting technician at El Camino College, where I have worked as a classified employee for 30 years. For more than half that time I also led the El Camino Classified Employees, AFT Local 6142, but stepped down earlier this year after I was elected to head the CFT Council of Classified Employees.
My family is from Hawaii. I love the laid-back island culture, and my leadership style is pretty informal, but “laid back” and “informal” do not mean I’m a pushover. Far from it.