Hi all,

I have posted comments on the blog, as directed.

I have also posted the following request: "If all conversation and instructions are to take place on this blog, then they should ALL be here. That means notices about meetings, requests to vote, etc., … EVERYTHING. Otherwise, it’s exactly as Leslie put it: “Your Board is focused on the blog, and prepared for this discussion on the blog. Splitting the focus between email and blog makes it harder for everyone to keep up. People who only read the email miss half the discussion; people who read the Board over on the blog miss half the discussion. It simply adds to the labor of already busy people.”

Therefore, could we have a decision to post/instruct/discuss *everything* on the blog or *everything* via email, and let the other mode go?" Sue P.

AFL-CIO post #2 (sat, aug 11)

What a great day and what great people. I am so lucky.  Everyone is friendly and has a great attitude. I got up at 7:00am (yikes!) had big breakfast in a place filled with unionists and cheerleaders (ages 10+). It was quite crowded. My first workshop started at 8:30. The leaders had us all brainstorm things we can do for fun at our meetings. I got lots and lots of good ideas. After lunch, I slept a little. I didn't mean to....but....then I met an old, old friend who lives down here (Eugene). We went on an interesting WPA/PWA walk and say all the buildings and art done during the New Deal. I love stuff like that. Then a big BBQ, an ice cream social and KARAOKE. I danced and sang with a few people too. Like I said, this is a great crowd to hang out with. Afterwards, three of us played frisbee golf. Now it's bedtime. I have one more workshop tomorrow.

AFL-CIO Summer School post #1

Dear Part-timers,

As you may know, your dues pay for union training. If the training isn't something that's covered by your professional development AND the PTFA has enough money, we will gladly cover the cost of training (including mileage and food) for YOU. 

Anyhow, you all have paid ($275.00) for my training (via your dues) at this year's AFL-CIO Summer School sponsored by the Labor Education and Research Center (LERC) at the U of O. I've been to other LERC trainings and they have been so informative.

http://pages.uoregon.edu/lerc/

I left Portland at 2:00pm today (Friday) and arrived at 4:00. I've never been to Eugene, let alone the U of O. So...thank you for the trip. We are staying in real dorms, something else I've never seen. My room is quite small and filled with identical, fairly cheap, mass-made furnitue on each side of the room: a tiny single bed, a wardrobe (no closet), a small desk and a dresser. The floor is concrete. The bathrooms & shower are down the hall. It's fine and I am not complaining, just sharing my first dorm-room experience. So far, my roommate has not showed up.

The rest of the campus is beautiful. I walked east across Franklin (road? street?), across a canal and then across the Willamette. There is nice, big, forested park there. I saw a sign which said something about the "Wilamut" nature area. is that the original spelling of "Willamette"? The river has bike/walking paths on both sides for about 5 miles each way.

I probably won't have time to walk it, however, as my day tomorrow is full. My first workshop is from 8:30 to 11:45, then lunch, then my second workshop, then a picnic, icre-cream social, labor film festival, a tour of WPA art & architecture, karaoke, volleyball, frisbee golf and an auction. How cool is that! Thank you!  Sunday AM is my last workship, then I'll drive back home.

Tonight's dinner was great. We had several speakers, then an icebreaker activity. The second speaker was Tom Chamberlain, the Oregon AFL-CIO president. His speech was a lovely surprise; he talked about how it's time for unions to collaborate with other organizations to create a middle class for the 99%. He talked about "workers" rights; not "union" rights. And he had a cool analogy: you can walk slightly downhilll to the right, next to a stream and to a seemingly lovely place. Or you can walk uphill to the left on a dirt road towards the fight for the 99%. 

More tomorrow. Thanks for funding my trip. Jennifer

As stated in my last two emails, the bylaws (inc name change) will be presented soon, hopefully over the weekend. I also need to get you a copy of the updated bylaws and some OEA applications. Again, you canNOT vote on the bylaws if you are not an OEA/NEA member. It does NOT cost any extra.

I know full well that it may make more sense to discuss the name change before introducing the bylaws, so....here is your chance. The name we came up with is Assoc of Academic Professionals. "Adjunct" has been suggested as a better fit. Many folks are happy with "part-time". 

Hi Folks, I overlooked the LGBT OEA newsletter in my pile of emails. Here's the link: https://docs.google.com/file/d/1_CW-xAofb9y3TC25xfKtJM_wrYgDGvWlNxlkMMXuQEN7LqkuW99cNb2rZXJH/edit?pli=1