dec-jan

INFORMING

16 CEA ADVISOR DECEMBER 2018–JANUARY 2019

Meet Mike Breen, UniServ Regional Trainer/Organizer

KNOWYOUR RIGHTS What’s inYour Contract? When was the last time you looked at your contract— in detail? Whether you’re a first-year teacher or already thinking ahead to retirement, any number of priorities can push your contract to the back burner. But that, says CEA UniServ Rep Tom Kennedy, can be a major mistake. “Not knowing exactly what’s in your contract can lead to accepting responsibilities you are not obligated to fulfill, not being paid what you’re entitled to, or failing to

If you’ve ever attended a CEA conference, county forum, or professional development workshop, Mike Breen is likely a familiar face. Though he works out of CEA’s Norwich office with local associations in eastern Connecticut, the UniServ regional trainer and organizer coordinates and presents statewide trainings on topics ranging from implicit bias to collective bargaining and member rights and responsibilities. “As a trainer and organizer, I work with our local associations to build their capacity and power and help teachers access all the benefits of their CEA membership,” Breen says. Before assuming this role, in 2017, he was the UniServ rep for Oxford, Amity, Orange, Wallingford, Derby, Wolcott, and Naugatuck. Breen—who celebrates four years with CEA in January—describes his proudest moment with the state’s largest teachers union: “We have a fantastic legal team,” he says, “and I assisted them in challenging and successfully overturning an unjust termination decision.” A graduate of Trinity College in Hartford, Breen worked in higher education—at Manchester Community College and the University of Connecticut—before earning his teaching certification. “I taught social studies at Rockville High School in Vernon, primarily U.S. history, government, and law,” he recalls, adding, “Teachers do incredibly difficult and increasingly complicated work, and their jobs are the most important thing we do, as a society. Teachers deserve to be treated as the professionals they are.” As an advocate for teachers, Breen sees his job as “creating the circumstances that educators can excel in and creating the best

possible environment for their students.” In a previous life—“waaaay back in the 90s”—Breen lived and worked in Yellowstone National Park, guiding bus tours in the summer and driving snowcat tours in the winter. “I can tell you anything you might want to know about geothermal features, and I’ve retained a surprising amount of knowledge about wildlife biology and behavior.” In his free time, Breen plays bass guitar, watches horror movies, and is a voracious reader. “I love horror fiction,” he says, “and the Aubrey–Maturin series,” Patrick O’Brian’s historical nautical novels set during the Napoleonic Wars.

comply with rules you agreed to by virtue of entering into that contract,” Kennedy explains. He urges teachers

View your contract at cea.org . Click Negotiations, then Contracts.

to look over their contracts at least

once a year and get familiar with the benefits negotiated on their behalf as well as the duties spelled out in those agreements. When he visits schools, Kennedy often conducts contract “scavenger hunts” with teachers. Here’s an example for you to try. Where in your contract would you find language on the following (find the article, section, and page): 1. What is the length of your workday? 2. How many personal days are you allowed? 3. What is your maximum class size? 4. How much prep time do you get? 5. Where are maternity rights listed? 6. What is the maximum number of after-school meetings you are required to attend? 7. Where are degrees defined in order to determine whether you can advance from one salary column to another? 8. What are the deadlines for filing a grievance? 9. What are your rights if you are injured at work?

Breen conducts a workshop on implicit bias in the classroom.

B U I L D I N G R E P I I

Fairfield’s Sara Goepfrich Is the Eyes and Ears for Her Colleagues, Students What does your teachers union mean to you? Fairfield Ludlowe High School teacher Sara Goepfrich, who serves as a building rep in her school, says it’s easy to be an island in your own classroom and do your own thing, but that approach doesn’t work as well when it comes to protecting

ACES Building Rep Goes the Distance to Communicate with Members

push back against or that might be seen as

making waves.”

As a special education teacher, Goepfrich says she frequently goes to bat for her students and is glad the union has her back. “I don’t always agree with programming choices that are made. There are times I have had to advocate for things my students need to be successful—things that cost money,” she says. “Thanks to the support of my union, I’m able to successfully advocate for what my students need.” Goepfrich, who has been teaching for a decade, works to make sure no one goes it alone. “Having a collective voice is absolutely imperative for our security, our professionalism, and our success in the classroom.”

“I’ve always been a big advocate for educators,” says ACES teacher Salman Hamid, a building rep for Wintergreen Interdistrict Magnet School in Hamden, where he teaches sixth grade. “It’s absolutely key that we get involved in our union and become active—and proactive,” he tells his colleagues. “Decisions made at the local, state, and national levels can have a big impact on our classrooms, our salaries, and our retirement.” ACES—which stands for Area Cooperative Educational Services— is a diverse district that operates eight schools all across New Haven County. Because members are so spread out, Hamid says, meeting in person can be difficult. While this could present a hurdle when it

comes to staying in touch with members, the ACES Education Association has found

ways to make it work. “All of our ACES building reps are good about having our phone numbers accessible,” says Hamid. “We reach out to members via phone conferences, video conferences, and email to make sure we hear their concerns. We want to hear about any issue that affects members, from a change in their paycheck to state and national issues.” He adds, “We’ve been very proactive about contacting members regularly, at a minimum of once a month, to find out what their concerns are. We want to be able to advocate effectively on behalf of members to our administration and communicate their needs accurately to CEA and NEA.”

teachers’ rights and securing resources for students. “The union is not some entity outside of

ourselves. The union is everyone we work with—it’s us—and through our union, we can advocate for our needs and for our students’ needs,” she says. “Unions give a voice to our profession and create a support system for new teachers to ask questions and get answers in a non- evaluative way. Unions allow us to advocate for things that are necessary for students, including things that administrators might

Building reps are often a teacher’s first point of contact when questions arise — ranging from practical matters to sensitive subjects. They are your contract enforcer, organizer, and spokesperson. Get to know your building rep. Let us know how he or she helps you, and we might feature your colleague in our next CEA Advisor  ! Email lesiaw@cea.org .