SIZE MATTERS!!!

The bread and butter of unions are Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) or union contracts. While it was very difficult negotiating with this past administration, we still won great contracts for our members. GMH Nurses had been struggling for years to get their first contract but thanks to a well placed lawsuit and hard bargaining from President Rector, they won their first contract in 2006 as did the eligibility specialists at public health. In order for teachers to win a new and better contract, they had to go to war with the school board and superintendent who had vowed to destroy their union and contract. Teachers won by going to board meetings, making phone calls and sending emails resulting in one of the finest teacher contracts in the country. These CBA’s weren’t won in isolation but were a result of members from all of our units standing together. Firefighters called school board members, Teachers fought against the privatization of GWA and Bus Drivers fought to keep our Port public. This acknowledgement of solidarity was reflected in GFT’s slogan “Together We Win!!!”