We are the union


To support our teachers staff and families to build a stronger community. -Elena / I support the union because I believe we are stronger together! Through solidarity, we can validate, affirm, respect, and support our community to reach our full potential. -Elise / I want a Union because to many teachers are leaving year after year and we all need retention. -Lupe / I joined the union for smaller class sizes and for everyone to be protected. -Morgan / I want a Union because I want a safe workplace for everybody. -Danielle / I joined the union to have smaller class sizes. —Jaquelynn / The union is good for the community because it gives the opportunity for educators voices to be heard; that would greatly benefit students and families, the proper representation for negotiations, and will help to create an equitable workplace. There is strength in numbers! -Kimica / I signed because I believe organized labor is the key to our collective health and success as a learning community. I also signed because this union allows Caliber employees the opportunity to demand fair treatment, wages, working conditions, and better benefits. -Eli / We are the agents of change that are teaching by example. The act pillar in action. -Emily / We are stronger, smarter, and better together than we can ever be alone. -Brother Michael / I joined to build stronger bonds among our school community. Families and staff are equally important and a united front is a stronger front. -Jesus / I joined the Caliber Workers Union because our workers, students, and families are what make our school amazing, and they deserve to be empowered. If my students grow up and work for a living, I hope they get to work within a union that protects them and advocates for fairer conditions, and I am excited that Caliber can now lead by example. -Tyler / I joined the union to secure fair and equitable working conditions for ALL staff, and to really ignite the Act Pillar for the whole Caliber community. -Whitney / I’m joining because I stand in solidarity with all caliber staff, students; and families. -Gabi B / I fully support the idea of a Union here at Caliber because of the security for directly making influential decisions through the use of my voice on behalf of staff and for students. The Union serves to magnify and brighten our passion and commitment -Fernando / Every traditional public school has a union—including the high school we share a campus with, and the elementary school down the street! I am a public school teacher, and I’m unionizing to have the same supports and protections, as every other public school teacher! -Gerri

Caliber’s wonderful workers,

We are coming up to a big step for us in Caliber: Beta Academy staff. We have shown Admin that a huge majority of workers at our school have chosen to go union and now they will legally be obligated to bargain with us. While Caliber has until May 20 to provide their list of who they think should count as certificated-staff, we think it’s better to get started and ready to meet. The union is a democracy and every workers’ voice matters in it because together we make up the union. Here is exactly how you can get involved and voice your opinion in shaping the future of our work lives; from fair and transparent disciplinary practices & promotions, class sizes, protected prep-time, to grievance procedures, and more. Let’s build a better school for teachers, support staff, students, and families!

You can fill out your nominations in the form here. All members of these committees and nominees should be currently (or willing) to sign up as a member of our union, Caliber Workers Union!

Below is a brief description of the two roles that members of our union have decided to elect in the coming weeks. On Tuesday May 18 we will begin the nomination period for the roles below, and nominees will be voted on by all members of the Caliber Workers Union. After this process they will begin creating a bargaining survey and we will use a monthly all member meeting to make big picture decisions together on what our union’s priorities should be.

Bargaining Team:

An elected team that is around 7 workers who are bottom liners for representing the rest of the union membership in bargaining with admin. It is very important that the team represent the diversity of the workplace (from race, gender, job type, campus, life experiences, etc.). While we will strive to have bargaining be as OPEN and inclusive as possible, we do need to make sure that this group of people can for sure be there and answer to the rest of the membership’s priorities we decide on together through deliberation in our monthly all-member meetings, as well as our upcoming bargaining survey. While this team will represent and present proposals, there will be times we can include others in the process (external organizers from the union, other workers at Caliber, parents, important community support like religious folks, etc.) to motivate contract proposals that membership will get to vote on as a whole. This is such an important and exciting step, which is why mobilization of as many members/potential members as possible for it is so important!

Organizing Committee (aka Membership, Mobilization, & Action Team)

This team is the engine that keeps the union running! While the Bargaining Team will be in the trenches of talking to the boss, we do not win our demands and changes thru having lock tight arguments at the table. We win them by demonstrating our union has support from the overwhelming majority of workers, parents, community constituents, AND that we can back that up by standing with each other and taking ACTION. This committee should represent the diversity of experiences and perspectives that make up the Caliber community so we can spread this work around, get new people involved, and that we have each other’s backs! Together the work can be more manageable and we really show our power is that we’re united!

Want more information about the goals, training, meeting frequency, and accommodations for each of these roles? Click here for a more detailed description.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates, and talk with other Caliber staff and families about supporting the CWU. And become a dues paying member of the union so we can continue to fund our fight for a better school and a better world (link).

Next CWU Meeting

Tuesday, May 25th from 4:30 - 5:30

CWU members will discuss union updates, begin the nomination process for the CWU bargaining team and organizing committee, and address any questions or concerns brought up by union members. This meeting is open to all co-workers and we look forward to sharing this collaborative space. Meeting Link

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