Educator Day on the Hill - February 10

DEA was well represented at UEA's Educator on the Hill for February 10. Along with Joel, Susan and Pat five Davis teachers were given the chance to spend the day Under the Dome. Scott Reeve, Jennifer Baker, Jessica Dunn, David Huddleston and Don Paver had the chance to talk with the UEA lobbying team and discuss the issues with legislators.

Scott Reeve, Second Grade Teacher from Morgan Elementary, reacted this way to his experience at the Capitol.

"As I sat in my classroom two hours past the time I could have gone home planning for a substitute so I could go to the Capitol and lobby, I wondered, 'Why am I doing this?' Then I thought of every advantage I have because previous educators lobbied for them years ago. Duty, I guess, is why I came.
"Now I am here have a fascinating time. Field trips are great. Field trips without students ... enough said. In addition to the beauty of the buildings, the fun companions, and the interesting political workings, this field trip includes a chance to really make a difference. I was asked to talk to three legislators; I talked to six and wrote to one more.
"This was the first time I ever lobbied at the Capitol. I'm a second grade teacher for crying out loud! I came here a novice and I will leave feeling extremely useful, not to mention well-fed and carrying memories of an exciting and intriguing day. The legislators were polite and attentive. I had a great day and made a difference.
"If you have a chance go Under the Dome. Regardless of your busy schedule or lack of experience, just do it. It is great! You will be glad you did."

Each educator was asked to talk to three or four legislators to pass along information regarding the UEA position on the retirement bills. David Huddleston, Spanish teacher from Woods Cross High, visited with a total of five legislators. He found most of them attentive but very restricted in the time they had to talk. Legislators were frequently summoned by a chime to return to the chamber and vote. "I appreciate DEA arranging for me to meet some of the lawmakers. I also appreciate being able to attend the session regarding retirement," commented David.

Retirement Bills Head to Senate Committee

Thousands of teachers and public employees rallied on Capitol Hill on Saturday to ask the legislature to Slow Down and Proceed with Caution. Many Davis educators gave up a part of their Saturday in order to show their concern over the proposed changes to the Utah Retirement System.
Wednesday will be the first day of action on the retirement bills in the Senate Retirement and Independent Entities Committee. Wednesday is also the second Educator Day on the Hill sponsored by UEA. Several Davis teachers are planning to attend. If you are interested in attending an Educator Day on the Hill, contact Susan at susan@dea.org.
UEA and DEA are tracking other legislation as well including the proposed budget and SB77 which would limit school districts ability to function during the school day by limiting leave for association activities. This could impact even the district's insurance committee which meets during the school day and includes classroom teachers. To follow UEA updates and keep up on the latest developments go to UEA Under the Dome.

Retirement Rally Tomorrow at 11:00 AM

We now have 145 members committed to attend the rally tomorrow with many more trying to arrange to be there. The more we have, the better it will be. Please join us.
Parking should be available since the legislature will not be in session, but carpooling would be a good idea. Signs will be provided. Come early to be sure you get one. Home made signs are discouraged. Wear school jackets or sweat shirts if you can. Check the weather. It may be a good idea to bring an umbrella or hooded jacket. There is a chance of showers.

Rally Support Growing in Davis

With over 800 DEA members having responded to our Retirement Rally Survey so far, there are 140 members committed to attend the rally on Saturday morning with another 350 working to adjust their schedules so they can attend. If you have not yet taken the survey, you can click below to complete the short survey.

Retirement Rally Survey

Please join us Saturday morning. More information is below in the previous post.

UEA Member Alert: Your Retirement Benefits are in Jeopardy!

Rally Scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 11 a.m., at the Utah State Capitol

"UEA members' retirement benefits are in jeopardy, and we will be rallying to show the legislature how we feel about these proposals," UEA President Kim Campbell said, after reviewing the latest retirement bills sponsored by Sen. Dan Liljenquist (R-Bountiful). Campbell said the Association is joining with the Utah School Employees Association, Utah Public Employees Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police to host a Saturday, Feb. 6, all-member rally at the Utah State Capitol. These groups represent more than 32,600 public employees and educators statewide. The rally begins at 11 a.m. on the south side of the Capitol. Speakers from each organization will be featured. "We need all of our members to participate in this event," Campbell said. "Those who live great distances from the Capitol can still help by writing letters and e-mails to their senators and representatives."

- For more information about the rally, click here.

- For information about the retirement bills, click here.

- To write your legislator, click here.

Retirement First on the UEA Agenda

While DEA has spent most of this week helping with 10-minute meetings in the schools, Kory Holdaway has led the UEA team with lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. If you have not yet had a 10-minute retirement meeting in your school for all employees, contact your DEA building rep to get the information.

The coalition on retirement (of which UEA is a part) met with House Democrats Thursday during their noon caucus meetings and discussed the challenges related to retirement changes. UEA along with the Utah Public Employees Association, Utah School Employees Association, the Fraternal Order of Police and other labor groups all stood united against the changes proposed by Senator Liljenquist. Each of the groups recognizes there are challenges that Utah Retirement Systems must face; however, we are all in agreement we need to slow down the train these bills are on. The House Democrats asked some very good questions dealing with the protection of the retirement system. As the discussion proceeded, the need to protect the Defined Benefit in the URS system was stressed by each group in the coalition. It was shared with the members of the caucus that teachers and public employees should be looked upon as one of the great state assets and not a liability that must be funded. We also shared with them the need to maintain a meaningful benefit plan to attract and retain quality employees in our classrooms and public employment. The Democrats were very receptive to our message and wanted more information to further understand this important public policy decision.

We encourage you to visit Under the Dome frequently for updates on the lobbying efforts of UEA. Next Friday, February 5, is the first Educator Day on the Hill. We can still use some help that day. Contact Susan (susan@dea.org) if you are willing to take a day to visit with legislators, meet with the UEA team, and attend committee meetings. Other events are planned for next week. Your DEA building reps have that information and more will be sent to members early next week.

Legislative Session Begins

Today is the first day of the legislative session for 2010. As you probably know, Senator Killpack resigned recently and the Davis GOP has recommended that the governor appoint former Layton Mayor Jerry Stevenson to the position. With the resignation of Senator Killpack, the Senate leadership has changed as well.
UEA is once again planning Educator Days on the Hill beginning February 5. Let Susan know if you are interested in participating in one of those events. Other activities will be scheduled to emphasize to legislators our concerns about funding, retirement, etc. Follow this blog and the UEA Under the Dome for updates and information.
The UEA team has been active for several weeks already even before the start of the session. Kory Holdaway, UEA Director of Government Relations, is well known among the legislators and will be a great spokesman for educators having only recently left the classroom.