At Teachers Unite Sat. 11/13: Meet Reps from CORE in Chicago: The New Faces of Union Organizing!

Join many of the NYC progressive/real reformers on Saturday as they greet Jen Johnson and Al Ramirez from the heroic CORE who went from birth as a caucus 3 years ago to running Local 1 of the AFT. It is almost mind-blowing to think of it.

I met Al in the summer of 2009 in LA at a conference when CORE was still a molehill on the verge of growing into a mountain. CORE began in essence when Al and Jackson Potter started going to closing school hearings to video them. I also got to hang with Al in Seattle at the AFT convention in July and I'm really looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.

I also met Jen Johnson in Seattle and was very impressed - she was the CTU rep who did the negotiating with Unity on a major reso that Randi tried to suppress but they stood their ground and won some points. Here is the video of that debate with Jen speaking second after a Unity person who sounds real good but it's Unity, you know so what they say is not what you get. If you can stand her bragging about keeping schools open (GAG, GAG) watch it. If not move the slider to about the 5 minute mark to see Jen who is followed by CTU President Karen Lewis.

Ed Notes will be at the TU event covering. Hope to see you. RSVP to TU if you plan on coming:

Teachers Unite
What does teacher union organizing have to do with you?

Read about the amazing new movement happening in Chicago in this interview in Rethinking Schools, and join Teachers Unite to meet founders of Chicago's CORE (Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators)!

• November 13th
  11 a.m.
  
  Teachers College
  229 Thompson Hall
  Enter at 525 W. 120th St. btw Broadway and Amsterdam
  Bring Picture ID
  Suggested donation: $5-$10 sliding scale
  Presenters: Jen Johnson and Al Ramirez from CORE (Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators)
  
  
  What can we learn from Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators or CORE? 
  
  This new caucus won leadership of Chicago Teachers Union through grassroots organizing, and citywide mobilization. 
  
  Learn from CORE leaders some keys to their organizing success, and their vision for a new kind of teacher unionism.
  RSVP at info@teachersunite.net