Summer’s in full swing, and—like clockwork—corporate interests and others looking to undermine teachers’ rights are trying to persuade teachers to leave their union. They’re hitting Connecticut educators with emails, postcards disguised as rebate offers, and pressure campaigns deceptively marketed as information sessions. Some are pushing a narrative around “freedom.” Others claim you don’t need the advocacy or protection of your union.
Don’t be fooled. These are schemes to trick you into forfeiting your union benefits. The end goal is to silence your voice and weaken our collective strength.
Why target teachers? CEA’s ability to get things done—from guaranteed 30-minute lunch periods for educators (who have often been denied adequate break periods) to passing a federal law giving educators their earned and spousal Social Security benefits—has gotten the attention of front groups for wealthy special interests that see unions as a threat to their profit margins and their power. While their message centers on “freedom and choice,” their goal is to erode educators’ autonomy and professional voice and prevent teachers from negotiating for a competitive salary, benefits, and good working conditions.
Bridgeport teacher Nicole Pond-Ferris says, “The best decision I made was joining the union.”
“They have no idea what it takes to teach effectively or to represent teachers,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “They have no offices or staff in Connecticut, no grievance representation for teachers, no support for educators in the certification or evaluation process, no retirement planning assistance, and—significantly—no diversity, no collective bargaining for teachers, and no legislative accomplishments on behalf of educators and students.”
What is their agenda? Their end goal is to silence educators’ voices in order to privatize schools and maximize profits for their corporate backers.
“To see what that looks like, look no further than states where teachers’ unions have been eroded or eliminated,” says Dias. “There, teachers earn some of the lowest salaries while managing class sizes of 40, 50, or 60 students with no guaranteed breaks. They are burning out and leaving a profession they entered with passion and optimism.”
She adds, “CEA membership and governance are made up entirely of public school educators who know firsthand what it’s like to be in a classroom. We fully understand the challenges you face, and we advocate for the kind of teaching conditions that make Connecticut among the top states for public education.”
Middlebury art teacher Sara Azukas makes sure other new educators understand the benefits of CEA membership.
What to do. If you receive any of these communications, share them with your local association president or contact CEA.
Curious about the many benefits of union membership?
Hear from your colleagues. Follow CEA on Instagram and/or Facebook to watch videos with educators who are sharing their own stories about why CEA membership matters.
Bridgeport teacher Nicole Pond-Ferris is one of the CEA members sharing her story in a social media video.
“The best decision I made was joining the union,” she says. “Whenever members don’t understand something in our contract, miss a prep, have a disagreement with admin, or want to know when they can take a day off, our union is always there to answer our questions and support us.”
Middlebury teacher Sara Azukas says that, as a former CEA Aspiring Educator, she started her teaching career already knowing the many benefits of CEA membership and has made sure to spread the word among other new educators.
Norwich teacher Katie Ruffo says teacher union advocacy makes a difference for teachers and students alike.
“Once teachers get a glimpse of the benefits of CEA membership, it opens up a whole new world to a new educator,” she says. “There are serious, vital benefits to being a member, including having access to lawyers. If you are ever stuck in a difficult situation, the union makes sure a building rep can represent you in a meeting with admin. There are no question those benefits are paramount, but there are also fun benefits of being a CEA member like the discounts you receive and the free conferences CEA offers. I’ve gained so much information from going to all these conferences.”
In Norwich, poor superintendent leadership was leading to high teacher turnover, and 96% of Norwich Teachers League members indicated in a survey that they feared retaliation.
“CEA came to us asking why we were losing so many teachers. They helped us organize a team and send out surveys. We had rallies and spoke to the news media,” shares Norwich teacher Katie Ruffo. “Our district is still recovering from our superintendent leadership years ago, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without CEA support.”
She adds, “If any other district is going through difficult times, I strongly recommend that you unite with your union, your colleagues, and CEA. They will advocate with you. CEA was there standing with us with our red shirts on, cheering for us, guiding us through the dark days. Don’t be afraid. This is important work, and we’re not just doing it for ourselves; we’re doing it for our students.”
