Outreach to School Employees in California Proceeds Vigorously

Outreach to School Employees in California Proceeds Vigorously

Outreach to School Employees in California Proceeds Vigorously

The Freedom Foundation has started an ambitious outreach effort to the 870,000 public school employees in California. Most of these are in workplaces that, until recently, required them have automatic union payroll deductions as a condition of working in a school.

The Janus v. AFSCME ruling this summer has made it possible for these public employees to make their own decision about funding unions — but only if they know about these rights. The union dues collectors have an interest in protecting their cashflow, so they have not made it easy for teachers to exercise their rights.

A liberty doesn’t exist if people are deceived and pressured to keep on being exploited.

That’s why the Freedom Foundation goes to great lengths to inform public employees about their rights. For California school employees, the “Opt Out Today” website includes a specific section dedicated to teachers and classified staff in California schools.

Once school started, Freedom Foundation sent a note to more than a half million public school employees using public email addresses. More than 30,000 visited the information page.

Expressions of appreciation were common such as:

“I have had many issues and no support from my Union as they never are able to represent me” – Teri

Already opted out! Thanks!” – James

“Thank you for the information.” – Shauna

While many teachers expressed their gratitude, others were not as happy with our outreach. One union representative who accidently included us in a panicked response to building representatives exclaimed:

“We need to inform Teachers DO NOT OPT OUT ASAP” – NH

Union organizers had reason to scramble to stem the hemorrhaging. Nearly one thousand school employees so far have downloaded the form to resign from a school union.

Related:

Under pressure, the CTA agrees to free teachers, September 13, 2018

When CA Teacher Union Lies, Intimidates, and Threatens Worker, Freedom Foundation Steps In, September 5, 2018.

Freedom Foundation website records its 11,250th opt-out, August 30, 2018

California Teachers Association ignores teacher resignations August 9, 2018

California Freedom Foundation earns national attention for pre-Janus messaging, June 8, 2018

Senior Policy Analyst
jlund@freedomfoundation.com
Jami Lund is the Freedom Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst. From 2004 to 2011, he developed legislative policy as a research analyst for the Washington House Republican Caucus. Prior to that he worked for the Freedom Foundation as the Project Manager for the Teachers Paycheck Protection project, shepherding the development of the Foundation’s landmark U.S. Supreme Court case to protect teacher rights. Jami is an accomplished speaker and researcher, one of Washington state’s top scholars on education policy and finance.