This week district officials shared with JESPA leadership that up to a quarter of the ESP workforce could be furloughed in coming weeks. By Thursday afternoon, food service workers were receiving calls that they “shouldn’t report to work on Monday” due to a lack of work created by remote learning. Friday morning, the district adjusted their message to say that food service would work for the week of Nov 30th and then “everything is up in the air after that”. Just now, the district sent a message guaranteeing jobs through the month of December. So what changed?
You acted! Together we moved the district in less than a week.
You should be proud of your JESPA leadership who filed a class action grievance and met with district officials on behalf of the hundreds of workers who almost lost work this week. You should be proud of your participation in a RED FOR ED day that received national and local press attention, a spike in membership, and petition with many signatures and community ally support demanding that all 156 food sites across the district continue to stay open and serve families throughout remote learning.
But we aren’t done yet. Monday, JESPA’s bargaining team goes to their first mediation session with the district to fight for pay raises. We continue to work with our allies to pressure the district into keeping all food sites open indefinitely.
Join our fight by being a member of JESPA, watching for updates on bargaining mediation, and actions, including a paraeducator town hall with district officials on Monday.