PROMOTE CLASSIFIED AND FACULTY UNITY

WHEREAS, classified employees most often provide the initial contact and contribute meaningfully to the image that students, faculty, staff and the community receive of our schools and colleges; and

WHEREAS, school and community college boards pass resolutions thanking employees who make the schools and colleges work: secretaries, school bus drives, gardeners, building maintenance workers, janitors, paraprofessionals and food service employees, everyone who is not a teacher or administrator; and

WHEREAS, classified and faculty union brothers and sisters interact with each other in the work environment, in the classroom, on shared governance committees, on hiring committees, on accreditation teams, and in specific instructional and administrative programs; and

WHEREAS, a large percentage of faculty brothers and sisters are in supervisory positions interacting with classified employees but receive minimal training by their district in perfecting this task into a professional exchange among employees; and

WHEREAS, classified employees continue to demand from administration and faculty co-workers that they be treated with respect, equality and dignity for the work performed:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers develop a staff development program including a training module, seminars and/or workshops and a method to build awareness to improve working conditions and communication for classified and faculty union members; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT leadership promote this program to create a positive work environment for classified and faculty unity.