Amendment to NBI 3  2/7/22_Strike against school closures

The following is the amended motion that was approved with 112 in favor, 8 opposed and 6 abstentions

Click here for the version showing all the amendments in bold.

I move that if the School Board passes any school closures, mergers, or consolidations:

• OEA commits, via Reps, rank and file activism, and elected leaders, to organizing support for a strike to fully reverse the School Board’s action.
• Rep Council urges the Executive Board to hold a membership vote from February 22-26 with a ballot that asks members for authorization for a strike with the following conditions: (1) that it will be called if at least 70% of all members approve it (2) that it will begin on March 4, 2022 unless all closures, mergers and consolidations are reversed  (3) that it will schedule a different cluster or pair of clusters to strike each day (aka, a “rolling strike”), so that OEA members and students each school are out for a maximum of one day each week, (4) that the strike will continue until all moves to close, merge, or consolidate any schools are reversed.  
• [An amendment was also accepted to begin the strike with one day of all schools walking out together before the rolling strike begins.]
• The intent is  to limit the drain of resources and energy on OEA members and allies, while maximizing the potential for sustaining daily public political pressure on pro-school-closure board directors and the privatizers backing them for as long as necessary.
• The strike will include, but is not limited to marches and rallies, as well as direct actions such as sit-ins, and occupations of schools and other locations. OEA reps and leaders will also reach out to other OUSD workers as well as Bay Area unions such as the ILWU Local 10 for coordinated actions.
• In addition to the rolling strike, members may opt to participate in sickouts, walkouts, actions to increase pressure on the district. The intent is for members to participate in a coordinated district-wide action in a sustainable fashion, and not to limit individual or site actions. OEA shall support the strikes and other actions through press conferences and extensive outreach to media, membership, and other local unions.

Maker: Gregorio Gutierrez, Westlake  

Second: Darlene Walters, Grass Valley