WORKING CONDITIONS

WHEREAS, a recent research report by Louis Harris and Associates Inc. indicates that poor working conditions are second only to low salaries as sources of teacher dissatisfaction with their work; and

WHEREAS, it is the legal, moral, and historical responsibility of labor unions to aid their members in securing improved working conditions:

RESOLVED, that AFT, both independently and through its state affiliates, shall initiate a major campaign in support of locals seeking to negotiate better working conditions, with special emphasis on the following:

• Relief from all nonteaching duties;

• Reduction of class size and total teacher load;

• Provision of ample, unencumbered preparation time for all teachers, particularly those in service at elementary schools;

• Increased employment of aides, paraprofessionals, and secretarial help to reduce teacher paperwork;

• Improved support services for teachers, including psychologists, social workers, and specialists to serve students with special needs;

• Improved mechanisms and support services to reduce the amount of time teachers must spend dealing with student discipline;

• Expansion and protection of academic freedom to build and maintain teacher self-direction and its concomitant sense of self-fulfillment.