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The strength of NEA-Alaska lies in our members. We are
13,000 members strong, by far the largest labor union in the
state.
But number alone don't make us strong. The second part
of the equation is our willingness to step forward and take
an active role in our association. It's member involvement —
plus our numbers — that make the difference.
Most of you probably know about the decline of unionism
around the country: the drop-off in membership, as well as
economic and political power. Changing demographics
and the restructuring of our nation's economy are partly to
blame for this phenomenon. But unions themselves
(ourselves) also bear a portion of the responsibility.
They lost power when they stopped organizing.
This is a lesson that all of us must take to hear.
What is organizing? At its more basic level,
organizing means working together to effect positive change.
This is what NEA-Alaska is all about.
The positive changes we are fighting for this year are:
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Returning to
a defined benefit pension system with health care for
our members and other public employees;
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Increasing
school funding;
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Electing
education-friendly candidates at the local, state and
national levels;
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Improving
rural teacher housing.
To achieve these goals, we must have strong locals.
Your statewide association is only as strong as its local
affiliates. Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be
focusing on how we can help you strengthen your local
associations. On the state level, your officers, board
of directors, and staff need your help to make this happen.
Fundamental to the strength of any local is the building or
site representative system. If we're to live up to our
potential, we must have a rep in every building and site.
Please help your local leaders by taking on this role.
NEA-Alaska provides training for building reps or site reps.
But the role of the representative is essentially to connect
colleagues in your building or site with the association —
and to connect the association with your colleagues.
If being a building or site rep is not your cup of tea,
there are many other opportunities to do your part.
Get involved in rights or bargaining, or teaching and
learning issues, or politics, or public relations and
community outreach.
Imagine if every member in every local resolved to get to get
involved this year in her/his local. If all of us pull
together, image the impact we can make, on behalf of
ourselves and Alaska's schools and children.
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