Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, December 12, 2022

Tuesday, December 13^th is the last day to vote on the Tentative Contract Agreement.

There is a recording of the two Town Hall sessions from last week available here: Members Only Minutes


On Dec. 5th, all WTU members received an email to their DCPS email account from TrueBallot, Inc. We realize that some of these emails landed in DCPS' spam, archive or other folders. If you have not received a ballot via your DCPS email from [email protected], please do the following:

1. Please check your DCPS emailand DCPS junk or archive mail folders. The sender of this email is [email protected] which your computer may classify as suspicious and send to a different file folder instead of your inbox.
2. Please search for the email by typing [email protected] and "WTU Contract Ratification" into the Search box of your email account.
3. Check to ensure you are a WTU dues-paying member. Only due-paying members will receive the Contract Voting package.  To make sure you are a member, please check your paystub to make sure DCPS classified you as a WTU-Dues paying member. If you are not a member, you can join the WTU if you enroll by Noon on December 13th. Contact Carlton Nettles to ensure your membership paperwork is expedited.
4. After completing these steps, please contact Carlton Nettles - [email protected] – if you have not received your ballot. In rare cases, you may need to call OCTO and see if your email is blocking [email protected] as a last resort.

Please note when you receive your ballot email, you must click on the voting link to see all the documents in the contract voting package. The documents contained in the ballot are also posted on the WTU members-only website under Meeting Minutes. Recordings of all Ballot Town Meeting are posted there as well. Security is provided through the use of Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), which were sent in the ballot email to all WTU dues-paying members. Regardless of how many ballot emails you receive, only one response will be logged into the system. 

WTU Membership Meeting

Tuesday, Dec 13, 2022 04:30 PM

Register in advance for this meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We Look forward to Seeing you on Friday!

WTU’s GO-GO for Education Celebration!

When: Friday, December 16^th

Time: 7-11PM

We look forward to celebrating the holidays with you!

AFT TEACH workshop proposal due by Jan. 17

TEACH 2023 is all about supporting educators and focusing on what kids need for successful futures. Priority areas for the workshops include:

• Instructional strategies to meet the needs of all students;
• Teaching subject-area content;
• Student and educator safety and well-being; and
• Collaborating and working with colleagues, families and communities to make sure kids feel safe and welcome in their public schools and have access to the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life.

For the full list of priority areas and topics, view the Workshop Proposal Guidelines

TEACHER DISCOUNT available for Eddie B. Teachers Only Comedy Tour

Saturday, December 17, 2022 (7pm Doors)
Capital One Hall, Tysons, VA

Use code THANKYOU on purchase page to receive 25% off tickets here:

https://www.capitalonehall.com/events/detail/eddie-b-teachers-only-comedy-tour

Open Positions

Looking for a new position? Check out the November listings of instructional and non-instructional vacancies posted here: https://www.wtulocal6.net/open_positions

AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, December 5, 2022

The vote on the tentative contract begins today! The WTU attorneys and staff spent this past week examining and preparing the tentative contract and documents for your review. Beginning today, you will have an opportunity review these documents and vote.

All WTU Members should receive an email to your DCPS email account with the WTU Tentative Contract Voting package which includes the following information:

• The tentative agreement signed by President Pogue Lyons and Chancellor Ferebee
• A tentative contract fact sheet
• A review of the tentative changes to Articles 6 and 7 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
• A copy of the tentative CBA
• A copy of the current CBA (October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2019)
• A tentative contract salary schedule
• A Q&A document on the tentative contract

The vote will open Monday, December 5, 2022 and votes must be received by Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at 7:30pm. The election service company, TrueBallot, Inc., will handle the administration of the vote.

WTU will host virtual Town Hall Meetings to discuss the contract and answer any questions on Monday, December 5^th and Wednesday, December 7^th.

• Dec 5 Town Hall @ 4:30PM via Zoom. Meeting ID: 939 669 4583; Passcode: 148566
• Dec 7 Town Hall @ 4:30PM via Zoom. Meeting ID: 939 669 4583; Passcode: 148566

Please watch your DCPS email for your ballot and make sure you vote. Please contact Carlton Nettles at [email protected] if you did not receive a ballot. If you are not a member, you can join by Tuesday, December 13, 2022 by 12:00pm and still have your vote counted. Contact your Field Representative or Carleton Nettles at [email protected]  to become a WTU member.

YOU ARE INVITED to WTU’s GO-GO for Education Celebration!

When: Friday, December 16^th from 7 - 11 PM

Where: Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health

Please REGISTER HERE for this FREE event no later than Friday, December 9^th!

Space is limited! We look forward to celebrating the holidays with you!

Let the Council hear your teacher voice!

Register by 5 pm today, December 5^th to testify before the Committee of the Whole: Literacy and the NAEP and PARCC Assessments. Hearing is Wednesday, December 7, 2022 at 11:00am
Committee Hearing Signup: Literacy and the NAEP and PARCC Assessments (google.com)

Gun violence continues to plague our schools and communities

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/11/28/teen-killed-shot-before/

“Ricochet: An American Trauma,” a documentary examining the US gun violence crisis and the people it impacts most - https://youtu.be/VIf7gfTSB7w

TEACHER DISCOUNT available for Eddie B. Teachers Only Comedy Tour

Saturday, December 17, 2022 (7pm Doors)
Capital One Hall, Tysons, VA

Use code THANKYOU on purchase page to receive 25% off tickets here:

https://www.capitalonehall.com/events/detail/eddie-b-teachers-only-comedy-tour

AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 28, 2022

We hope you enjoyed the Holiday weekend. We are thankful and grateful for all the organizing and rallying you’ve done to get us to a tentative agreement.

The WTU negotiating team will provide details in a Member Town Hall on Tuesday, November 29 at 4:30PM. The tentative agreement includes a 12.5% raise over 4 years though FY 2023, 4% retention bonus for all teachers, increase in ‘teacher startup funds,’ 2 morning blocks reserved for teacher lead planning, and additional bonuses for teachers in hard to fill positions.

Member Town Hall - Tuesday, November 29 @ 4:30

Via Zoom

Meeting ID: 930 4869 7561

Passcode: 797288

Dial in: 301-715-8592

WTU in the news

• Statement from Mayor Bowser, Chancellor Ferebee, and WTU President Pogue Lyons on Tentative Contract Agreement
• Tentative contract agreement reached to provide DC teachers raises - WUSA
• D.C. reaches long-awaited deal with teachers union - The Washington Post
• D.C. School Teachers, Mayor Bowser Reach Tentative Deal – Washington Informer
• DCPS and Washington Teachers' Union reach tentative contract agreement - Axios
• DCPS reaches tentative contract agreement with teachers' union after 3 years - WJLA
• DC Public Schools reaches tentative agreement with teachers' union - FOX
• After Three-Year Impasse, D.C. Public Schools Reach Tentative Agreement With Teachers’ Union - DCist
• Parents Rally Behind DCPS Teachers in Demand for Better Conditions – Washington Informer
• D.C. public school teachers walk out in frustration, no new contract since 2019 – AFRO News

The WTU is deeply concerned about gun violence in our community

Akira Wilson fatally shot at NoMa's Hilton Garden Inn on Saturday - The Washington Post

Teen shot near annual Turkey Bowl in Northeast DC

Open Positions

Looking for a new position? Check out the November listings of instructional and non-instructional vacancies posted here: https://www.wtulocal6.net/open_positions

AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.

After more than three years with out a contract, the District has reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union that would give the educators a retroactive raise and a salary hike for next year, officials announced Wednesday. Read the Full Story Here.

After more than three years of stalled negotiations, D.C. Public Schools have reached a tentative contract agreement with the Washington Teachers’ Union, according to a statement from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday.

“Today, we are proud to reach an agreement that delivers robust back pay in recognition of the tireless efforts and sacrifice our teachers have made over the past three years,” reads Bowser’s statement on the agreement, which spells out a 12 percent increase in salary over four years, and a four percent retention bonus. “This agreement provides our educators with competitive raises that will help the District to retain and attract the best talent for our schools.”

Read the Full Story Here

Fox News reported on tweets released by the WTU and published the joint statement signed by Mayor Bowser, DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee, and WTU President Jacqueline Pogue Lyons on Tuesday. Read the full story here.

Axios News reported on the tentative contract reached by DCPS and the WTU. 

D.C. public schools and the Washington Teachers’ Union say they have reached a tentative contract agreement more than three years after the union’s previous contract lapsed.

Why it matters: The two sides have been locked in a bitter fight over the new contract since October 2019, leading to an independent arbitrator taking over the negotiations last month.

GOOD NEWS!!

We put in the work! We didn't let up -- and it paid off! After three tough years of negotiation, a tentative agreement was reached between the WTU and DCPS. The WTU won:

• a 12% salary increase over four years that includes all retros and 4% this year
• an additional 4% signing bonus
• all benefits included and paid for
• significant increase in administrative premiums

...and that's not all! 

Details on the tentative agreement will be released soon. All WTU members will have the ability to vote on whether or not to accept the offer. We'd like to thank the community groups who have supported us over the years as well as our tireless members. We couldn't have done it without you!

What makes a great public school, where students can truly thrive, teachers want to teach, and parents want to send their kids? As parents of students who have attended three schools operated by DC Public Schools (DCPS), we have a pretty good — and informed — idea. It takes adequate funding, supports and resources to address the needs and challenges of each school’s student population. It takes a respectful culture that values and supports all staff in the building, all students, and their families.

Here's What's Brewing Today

Monday, November 21, 2022

I am thankful and grateful to the entire WTU community for participating in the action last Thursday. It was truly a beautiful sight to see us all united in our efforts to get a contract. Although the city leaders are listening and we are back at the negotiating table, we do not have a contract yet. Please help us keep putting pressure on the Mayor and DCPS leadership over the coming weeks. Your voice matters!

I hope that you are able to take some time for yourself this Thanksgiving break you truly deserve it. There was an article published last week, ‘Teachers Experienced More Anxiety than Healthcare Workers During the Pandemic,’ we know this is true. Please be careful as you travel this holiday weekend. COVID is still with us and other respiratory viruses are circulating widely. Please take care of yourself and your loved ones.

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President

TEACHERS DESERVE A FAIR CONTRACT

We’re bent on keeping the pressure on until we receive a FAIR contract! To see interviews of participants, visit WTU’s Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, or FaceBook sites. Please retweet, forward, and retweet again!

Upcoming Events. Details coming soon.

• Town Hall Week of November 28th
• Holiday Go-Go for Education, December 16th

Also, we need your photos/videos! They serve as priceless reminders of how determined we remain in getting a FAIR contract. You can see our efforts in the pictures compiled on the Photos_2022 page of the WTU website here. If you’ve taken photos and video you don’t see pictured, please take a moment to email them to [email protected].

Contact your Building Rep or Field Representative for more information about on-going contract negotiations. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT ANY ACTIVITY YOU PARTICIPATE IN TAKES PLACE OUTSIDE YOUR TOUR OF DUTY. DCPS is watching!

WTU in the news

• Brenda Douyon’s class in the Kidspost - November Class of KidsPost: Garrison Elementary in Washington, D.C. - The Washington Post
• DCPS teachers walkout over contract, building standards | wusa9.com
• 'Overlooked and overdue.' Parents demand DCPS renovate 100-year-old Whittier Elementary | WJLA
• There’s ‘An End in Sight’ for the Lengthy Contract Fight Between DCPS and the Teachers’ Union. But Plenty of Bad Blood Remains. - Washington City Paper
• D.C. Teachers March For New Contract As Union Bargaining Resumes

KC Boyd winner of Excellence in Equity 2022

Excellence in Equity 2022 | The Winners | Equity & Access Pre K-12 | The American Consortium for Equity in Education (ace-ed.org). Recognizing the companies, leaders, authors, and educators whose tremendous efforts are helping schools achieve equity everywhere

DCPS in the news

• D.C. Gets Federal Funds To Help Homeless Students. But Many Schools In Need Are Shortchanged
• D.C. gets federal funds to help homeless students. But many schools in need are shortchanged (wamu.org)

Field Trip Guidance

Earlier this month DCPS released new guidelines on field trips. The administration in your school is responsible for checking the driver’s license of the bus driver.

• Click here for information on how to check credentials.
• Click here for a Day-of Field Trip Checklist.

Open Positions

Looking for a new position? Check out the November listings of instructional and non-instructional vacancies posted here: https://www.wtulocal6.net/open_positions

AM Brew News and Notices will be archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.

In a November 18th news story, DCist reported D.C. teachers held demonstrations at at least five schools across the city after school on Thursday, continuing their push for a contract after their last one expired in 2019.

At one school, they chanted slogans like, “Support your teachers, support your students,” and waved signs that declared “FAIR CONTRACT NOW!” and “GOOD WORKING CONDITIONS = GOOD LEARNING CONDITIONS.”

On November 17th, the same day WTU teachers plan to rally around each of their respective schools in DCPS @3:30, the Washington City Paper published an article in hope of a resolution to the ongoing dispute. 

The last time D.C. had an up-to-date contract with its biggest teachers’ union, the Washington Nationals had yet to win a World Series, Lizzo’s first single was still topping the charts, and hardly anyone had ever heard of COVID-19. The two sides have been negotiating ever since, with a resolution to this saga now increasingly likely to stretch into a fourth year of debate.

The Washington Teachers’ Union and D.C. Public Schools have been fighting over a new collective bargaining agreement for so long that an independent arbitrator took over the matter late last month, setting up an end game for a dispute that has defined education politics in the District since the last contract expired in October 2019.