ELECTION TIME!

Of particular interest to educators is Ballot Amendment 3: Missouri Teacher Performance Evaluation. See the relevant basics here at Ballotpedia and the MNEA's take on it (hint: VOTE NO!)

TLRD: NO ON 3.

University labor news: CUNY profs marching for contract

City University of New York faculty have been without a contract since 2010, and are on the march: tricky as their funding comes from the both the city and the state governments, so they have to negotiate with both bodies in addition to CUNY itself. Essay at Laborpress.org

International inspiration between education labor movements

Discusses some recent instances of support and exchange of ideas across borders. There are some very interesting things going on out there.
http://www.labornotes.org/blogs/2014/09/international-teacher-solidarity-cross-pollinates

Degrees Not Debt

An interesting article on the NEA's campaign to reduce student loan debt and other advocacy efforts like Elizabeth Warren's bill. A discussion is here:

http://neatoday.org/2014/05/14/nea-launches-campaign-to-help-reduce-student-debt/

And an opportunity to commit to help is here: http://www.nea.org/degreesnotdebt

Give this a look.

Please support Springfield Police and Firefighters

MSU Faculty Association supports the Springfield Police and Firefighters in their quest to fund their pensions.  Voters are being asked on April 8, 2014 whether they would repeal the existing ¾ cent sales tax funding the pensions.  Voting NO renews the tax.  In 2010 the pensions were 40% funded.  Now because of the voter approved sales tax, the pensions are 67% funded.  If the pensions sales tax is renewed on April 8, 2014, the pensions could be fully funded by 2019 or sooner.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 – please vote NO.  Voting NO renews the tax.

For more information please go to: springfieldmo.gov/election