News To publicize the inadequacy of teacher salaries and benefits,
a group of teachers, calling itself the Lowell Action Committee and working with their UBC
set up a website,
The Car Sign Factory.
This is just one of many actions by the group
which was organized in January. Since their inception,
they've also picketed an education address by Governor Gray Davis, created a teachers'
salary news wall at school, researched comparative salaries in the city and professon,
surveyed the faculty to create an index of the teachers' fiscal situation, and
leafletted the site PTSA meeting.
"We posted the web site to make the car signs available
to anyone who wanted them as well as invite others to contribute
relevant messages," explains Lowell High School English teacher, Jennifer Moffitt, one of the
committee members. "First, the signs were merely placed at the
school sign-in book. A couple days later, eight cars
with signs were spotted around campus. A week later 22... Teachers in other schools are also
starting to download and post the signs."
Car signs with messages such as "Great educators are leaving your
city for better pay elsewhere," can be downloaded at
http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/volunteerst/actioncom/index.html .
You can also email suggestions of your own to
lowellactioncommittee@hotmail.com.
According to Moffitt, the group researched California Highway Patrol regulations for posting
car signs. "The Car Sign campaign is just one legal, inexpensive and fun way to start to organize for a
better deal in our next contract. We hope other schools will come up with creative and
different campaigns, too."
Member-driven salary protest hits the web
What's going on at your site? Please email UESF's
webster with news of union activity at your school.
