Dear Peralta Community,<\/p>\n
Another second Tuesday, another e-Communiqu\u00e9 from the Peralta Federation of Teachers\u2014enjoy!<\/p>\n
*Don\u2019t miss today\u2019s PFT general membership meeting, 3-6 p.m., in Room D 200 at Laney. A ratification vote on the proposed contract extension tops the agenda\u2014voting will be ongoing throughout the meeting\u2014but other important items include a discussion of part-timer SDI benefits and consideration of recent PFT Executive Council motions.<\/p>\n
*The Peralta Board of Trustees gets back to business tonight at seven at 333 E. Eighth St. Absent from the agenda: the major bargaining units\u2019 contract extensions. (Expect them May 11.) Items that do appear on the agenda include the outgoing chancellor\u2019s presentation of the 2009-10 budget and a move to approve Community College Search Services to head up the hunt for a new PCCD chief.<\/p>\n
*PFT remains concerned about the terms of the ongoing employee benefits audit, and encourages folks to call CoreSource (866.434.1211) with any questions. (CoreSource is handling the audit for the district; it\u2019s working with Kaiser and CoreSource members alike.) While PFT would argue the legality of any claims the district has made about its right to deny benefits to faculty who do not meet its deadlines, folks are nonetheless urged to get their documents in to CoreSource auditors by May 7.<\/p>\n
*CoA DSPS coordinator Helene Maxwell, CoA student Natasha Chacon, and Laney students Ebony Miller and Suzanne Jastrumske testified before the state legislature\u2019s Budget and Higher Education Committee in Sacramento April 21. They addressed legislators about the need to support community colleges, and made special pleas on behalf of categorical programs decimated by budget cuts. Four other faculty members and a Project Bridge student also went to Sacramento for the hearing and the final rally of the CFT March for California\u2019s Future.<\/p>\n
*PFT urges faculty to support a fair contract for Oakland Unified teachers. Contact OUSD superintendent Tony Smith at 510.879.8200 or tony.smith@ousd.k12.ca.us<\/a> to tell him you back OEA. For information about joining Oakland teacher picket lines, call 510.763.4020 or stop by the OEA offices, 272 E. Twelfth St.<\/p>\n *Join campus reps Marie Wilson and Ron Jones, Wed., May 5, 12-1 p.m., in Room T 450, as Laney holds its final chapter meeting of the year. With a Cinco de Mayo lunch catered by La Estrellita, the get-together will feature discussion of the contract extension, plans for the year ahead, and conversation about faculty\u2019s summer plans. See you there!<\/p>\n In unity,<\/p>\n Debby Weintraub, President
\nPFT, AFT Local 1603<\/p>\n