Organizing

In order to meet the WSEU Demands and ensure equity statewide for our students, their families, our staff, and our communities, we need to organize! Here's how we can start within our own schools and communities:

WITHIN YOUR BUILDING

Organize first-step check-ins and meetings within our buildings

• If you are the rep for your building, call a meeting to assess member interest and concerns
• If you are not the rep, encourage a meeting be called through asking fellow staffers to call for one by group emails and texts or through direct requests to your rep
• Hold meetings through Zoom or another video conferencing platform that is not provided through your district software and devices

Review understandings of administrative policies and EA MOAs/MOUs and set up a second-step check-in to follow up on assessed member concerns

• Use these check-ins to be sure that your staff is all on the same page concerning what is being asked of you by your admin
• Ensure all staff understand the MOA/MOU put forward by your district
• Ask your building to sign on to the WSEU Demands and identify the ways in which you are achieving the demands and the areas in which your staff, admin, and union will need to refocus and prioritize to actively fight for students, families, community, and staff.

WITHIN YOUR EA

Between your first and second check-ins, connect with members within your local EA to see similar concerns have been raised

• Similar misunderstandings of misapplications of the MOA/MOU may be occurring across your EA, or the disagreement may be particular to your administration and both outcomes are good to know as a union rep or active union member
• Connecting between buildings within your local EA can strengthen your EA when presenting concerns to leadership at representative assemblies

Address the WSEU Demands across your EA and engage membership to actively meet demands

• If you have several schools and staff members in your district that have signed onto the WSEU demands, present the demands in petition form.
• Engage the PTSA/PTO in efforts to support the WSEU Demands, including organizing volunteering or donations by EA members in support of student, family, community and staff needs
• Present New Business Items/Resolutions at Representative Assemblies that provide direct relief or push your unions political capital to meet the WSEU Demands

ACROSS THE STATE

Throughout these planning periods, check-in sessions, organization efforts, and assemblies, encourage engagement with WSEU

• Invite co-workers to join the WSEU page
• Fill out the WSEU Google Form to help us identify your staff and EA needs as well connect you with the resources and educators that can help you meet common goals
• Engage in Teacher Appreciation Outreach Week (May 4-8, 2020) to raise awareness of the WSEU demands)
• Share the NBIs/Resolutions you have raised in your rep assemblies to add to our toolkit
• Connect with other members to review and parse MOUs/MOAs from different districts and strategize for the most equitable MOU/MOA we can develop together