Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
A letter to fans of the NFL
Dear NFL Fan:
First off, the players of the National Football League and I want to thank you for doing your part as a fan and signing the Petition to help us Block the NFL Lockout. As you know, the NFL and team owners have planned to impose a lockout of players and fans following the expiration of the CBA on March 3, 2011.
I want to make you aware of a very important online movement happening Tuesday, January 18th that we want you to be a part of. NFL players across the league and fans are participating in a #LETUSPLAY Day, and we want YOU to join us. It will be an opportunity for you to team up with players as we stand together to help prevent the NFL Lockout. Here’s how you can help:
· Tell EVERYONE you can about www.NFLLockout.com and how they can sign the Petition to Block the Lockout
· Donate your Facebook status by posting: “Today is LET US PLAY Day. Help NFL Players and Fans Block the Lockout. Visit NFLLockout.com and sign the Petition.”
· Tweet the following: “Today is #LETUSPLAY Day. Help #NFL Players & Fans #BlocktheLockout. Visit NFLLockout.com and sign the Petition.”
· You can participate in a #LETUSPLAY Chat with me and other players on Facebook and Twitter that day. We will also be responding to fan questions on Ustream and our YouTube page.
In addition, please be sure to follow these social media profiles:
Twitter
Twitter.com/NFLLockout
Twitter.com/NFLPA
Twitter.com/DeSmithNFLPA
Twitter.com/GeorgeAtallah
Facebook
Facebook.com/NFLLockout
Facebook.com/NFLPA
NFL Players Association
www.NFLPlayers.com
www.NFLLockout.com
Thanks so much for your support and here’s to blocking the NFL Lockout and having NFL games to watch in 2011.
Sincerely,
Kevin Mawae
NFLPA President
First off, the players of the National Football League and I want to thank you for doing your part as a fan and signing the Petition to help us Block the NFL Lockout. As you know, the NFL and team owners have planned to impose a lockout of players and fans following the expiration of the CBA on March 3, 2011.
I want to make you aware of a very important online movement happening Tuesday, January 18th that we want you to be a part of. NFL players across the league and fans are participating in a #LETUSPLAY Day, and we want YOU to join us. It will be an opportunity for you to team up with players as we stand together to help prevent the NFL Lockout. Here’s how you can help:
· Tell EVERYONE you can about www.NFLLockout.com and how they can sign the Petition to Block the Lockout
· Donate your Facebook status by posting: “Today is LET US PLAY Day. Help NFL Players and Fans Block the Lockout. Visit NFLLockout.com and sign the Petition.”
· Tweet the following: “Today is #LETUSPLAY Day. Help #NFL Players & Fans #BlocktheLockout. Visit NFLLockout.com and sign the Petition.”
· You can participate in a #LETUSPLAY Chat with me and other players on Facebook and Twitter that day. We will also be responding to fan questions on Ustream and our YouTube page.
In addition, please be sure to follow these social media profiles:
Twitter.com/NFLLockout
Twitter.com/NFLPA
Twitter.com/DeSmithNFLPA
Twitter.com/GeorgeAtallah
Facebook.com/NFLLockout
Facebook.com/NFLPA
NFL Players Association
www.NFLPlayers.com
www.NFLLockout.com
Thanks so much for your support and here’s to blocking the NFL Lockout and having NFL games to watch in 2011.
Sincerely,
Kevin Mawae
NFLPA President
Friday, January 14, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Call Gov. Quinn - abolish the death penalty!
The Illinois General Assembly has passed SB3539 to repeal the death penalty!. We’re just one signature away from making history as the 16th state without the death penalty!
Please contact Governor Quinn right away to tell him you hope he’ll sign the death penalty repeal bill.
You can leave at a message at one of these numbers below. You can say, "I'm from [city] and I want Gov Quinn to sign the bill to end the death penalty."
Chicago Office - 312-814-2121
Springfield Office - 217-782-0244
Call first, then you can also click here to send him a message online.
For more talking points, click here.
The Governor is getting many calls today, so if your call doesn’t go through or a voicemail box is full – please call back later.
Where is the Governor on the issue?
The Governor has not indicated one way or the other how he’ll handle this bill, so we should be supportive and encouraging for him to take this important step for Illinois.
In the past, Governor Quinn has indicated support for the death penalty, while also express concerns about the problems with the system. You can remind him that regardless of his position on the death penalty, Illinois’ history has made clear the system is broken and our legislators have sent the strong message that the system can’t be fixed. Illinois can no longer afford to keep our costly and error-ridden death penalty.
Spread the word – be sure your friends and family also contact the Governor. He needs to hear from as many of us as possible.
For other ways to contribute to the campaign, contact organizer Liz Moran for ideas and direction and we'll put you to work to end the death penalty. liz@icadp.org or 312-673-3816.
Please contact Governor Quinn right away to tell him you hope he’ll sign the death penalty repeal bill.
You can leave at a message at one of these numbers below. You can say, "I'm from [city] and I want Gov Quinn to sign the bill to end the death penalty."
Chicago Office - 312-814-2121
Springfield Office - 217-782-0244
Call first, then you can also click here to send him a message online.
For more talking points, click here.
The Governor is getting many calls today, so if your call doesn’t go through or a voicemail box is full – please call back later.
Where is the Governor on the issue?
The Governor has not indicated one way or the other how he’ll handle this bill, so we should be supportive and encouraging for him to take this important step for Illinois.
In the past, Governor Quinn has indicated support for the death penalty, while also express concerns about the problems with the system. You can remind him that regardless of his position on the death penalty, Illinois’ history has made clear the system is broken and our legislators have sent the strong message that the system can’t be fixed. Illinois can no longer afford to keep our costly and error-ridden death penalty.
Spread the word – be sure your friends and family also contact the Governor. He needs to hear from as many of us as possible.
For other ways to contribute to the campaign, contact organizer Liz Moran for ideas and direction and we'll put you to work to end the death penalty. liz@icadp.org or 312-673-3816.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
National Labor Relations Board Finds Charter Schools Are Public Schools
From Chicago ACTS:
CHICAGO—Two new rulings by the National Labor Relations Board make clear that charter schools are public schools and, therefore, that charter school employees are able to organize into a union under Illinois state law.
Teachers at Latino Youth High School and Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy, both located in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, filed for union recognition with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board last fall, after a majority of teachers at both schools signed union authorization cards. They would be represented by Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Chicago ACTS), an affiliate of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers.
Petitioning the National Labor Relations Board, school officials challenged the IELRB’s jurisdiction over the charter schools, claiming the schools were private entities that required an NLRB-supervised election. Despite receiving public funding, the schools claimed they were private sector employers and therefore fall under federal, not state, jurisdiction. The NLRB refused to recognize the schools as private employers.
“This ruling sends a strong message to charter school operators that these schools are clearly public schools and their teachers must be afforded the same rights as any other public school teacher,” said Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery. “Any effort by charter operators to duck their obligations under state law by arguing that they are private employers is a waste of taxpayer money and a waste of time that is better spent working with the teachers and giving them a voice in improving their schools.”
Latino Youth High School is run by the nonprofit group Pilsen Wellness Center, and Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy is run by the nonprofit Instituto del Progreso Latino. Both schools contract with Youth Connection Charter School, which holds the charter to operate the schools. Even before the ruling came out, school leaders at Rudy Lozano had already agreed to recognize and work with the newly formed teachers union.
According to both rulings, the schools and the nonprofits that run them are public entities under state law, and “the school itself is specifically defined as a public school.” Both schools must accept all eligible students who apply, just like any other public school in the state, and they both must comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act and are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Youth Connection Charter School operates 22 other campuses. Teachers at Howard Area Leadership Academy, which is part of the YCCS network, also filed for union representation and is awaiting certification by the state.
Since the start of the school year, four Chicago-area charter schools—including the three YCCS schools—have filed for union representation with the IELRB. The other school, Chicago Math and Science Academy, has been certified by the IELRB. And although the NLRB has refused to recognize the school as a private employer, school officials continue to appeal the NLRB’s decision, spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in attorney’s fees to oppose the union.
In the past two years, teachers at a dozen Chicago-area charter schools have unionized and become part of Chicago ACTS.
[Chicago ACTS press release]
CHICAGO—Two new rulings by the National Labor Relations Board make clear that charter schools are public schools and, therefore, that charter school employees are able to organize into a union under Illinois state law.
Teachers at Latino Youth High School and Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy, both located in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, filed for union recognition with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board last fall, after a majority of teachers at both schools signed union authorization cards. They would be represented by Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Chicago ACTS), an affiliate of the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers.
Petitioning the National Labor Relations Board, school officials challenged the IELRB’s jurisdiction over the charter schools, claiming the schools were private entities that required an NLRB-supervised election. Despite receiving public funding, the schools claimed they were private sector employers and therefore fall under federal, not state, jurisdiction. The NLRB refused to recognize the schools as private employers.
“This ruling sends a strong message to charter school operators that these schools are clearly public schools and their teachers must be afforded the same rights as any other public school teacher,” said Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery. “Any effort by charter operators to duck their obligations under state law by arguing that they are private employers is a waste of taxpayer money and a waste of time that is better spent working with the teachers and giving them a voice in improving their schools.”
Latino Youth High School is run by the nonprofit group Pilsen Wellness Center, and Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy is run by the nonprofit Instituto del Progreso Latino. Both schools contract with Youth Connection Charter School, which holds the charter to operate the schools. Even before the ruling came out, school leaders at Rudy Lozano had already agreed to recognize and work with the newly formed teachers union.
According to both rulings, the schools and the nonprofits that run them are public entities under state law, and “the school itself is specifically defined as a public school.” Both schools must accept all eligible students who apply, just like any other public school in the state, and they both must comply with the Illinois Open Meetings Act and are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Youth Connection Charter School operates 22 other campuses. Teachers at Howard Area Leadership Academy, which is part of the YCCS network, also filed for union representation and is awaiting certification by the state.
Since the start of the school year, four Chicago-area charter schools—including the three YCCS schools—have filed for union representation with the IELRB. The other school, Chicago Math and Science Academy, has been certified by the IELRB. And although the NLRB has refused to recognize the school as a private employer, school officials continue to appeal the NLRB’s decision, spending tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in attorney’s fees to oppose the union.
In the past two years, teachers at a dozen Chicago-area charter schools have unionized and become part of Chicago ACTS.
[Chicago ACTS press release]
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