To: Mr. Fred Ramirez, Chairperson, ASPIRA PA and Mr. Alfredo Calderon, President and CEO, ASPIRA PA
Support teachers' right to organize a union without fear at ASPIRA Charters
Teachers wish to exercise their right to organize and speak freely without fear that their jobs, pay, or eligibility for promotion are put in jeopardy. We ask the board, directors, and administrators of ASPIRA schools to respect their employees' right to form a union.
Make a commitment to our community that you will provide a peaceful and unobstructed pathway for the teachers’ union recognition. Pledge not to waste classroom resources fighting against the teachers’ right to organize. Let teachers choose without trying to influence their decision; refrain from threats and intimidation tactics that will strain our school.
Value your staff by including their voice in the decisions that affect our children, the school, and our community.
Why is this important?
ASPIRA was originally founded in 1961 by social justice advocate and union activist, Antonia Pantoja, to address the high drop-out rate and low academic achievement of Puerto Rican youth. Their staff is dedicated to upholding that mission and seeks the board’s recognition of their hard work.
In the spring of 2013 a committee of concerned educators at ASPIRA launched their campaign to form a union. The board of ASPIRA and its administration immediately launched an anti-union campaign in response. They threatened to terminate several key members of the union committee. The community rallied around the educators and charges were filed against ASPIRA at the National Labor Relations Board. Thankfully no members of the union committee were terminated. The NLRB charges were settled, and ASPIRA considerably toned down their anti-union rhetoric.
Over a hundred staff members at ASPIRA schools have courageously and publicly declared their support for a union. However there are still members of the staff who are hesitant to openly support the union effort because of the chilling effect of ASPIRA’s initial anti-union campaign. That is why we are now asking for the board to publicly declare that they will not interfere with the staff’s right to organize, and agree to provide a peaceful and unobstructed pathway to union recognition.
Please sign this petition demanding the ASPIRA board respect the rights of their staff by pledging to remain neutral during the unionization effort at ASPIRA.
Spanish Translation:
ASPIRA fue fundada originalmente en 1961 por el defensor de justicia social y activista sindical, Antonia Pantoja, para hacer frente a la alta tasa de deserción escolar y el bajo rendimiento académico en la juventud puertorriqueña. Su personal está dedicado a la defensa de esa misión y busca el reconocimiento de la mesa directiva por su ardua labor.
En la primavera del 2013, un comité de educadores interesados de ASPIRA lanzaron su campaña de formar un sindicato. La mesa directiva de ASPIRA y su administración inmediatamente lanzaron una campaña antisindical en respuesta. Amenazaron con despedir a varios miembros clave del comité sindical. La comunidad se reunió en torno a los educadores y presentaron cargos contra ASPIRA ante la Junta Nacional de Relaciones Labores (NLRB por sus siglas en inglés). Afortunadamente ningún miembro del comité sindical fue despedido. Los cargos de la NLRB se resolvieron y ASPIRA moderó considerablemente su retórica antisindical.
Más de un centenar de miembros del personal en las escuelas ASPIRA han declarado valiente y públicamente su apoyo al sindicato. Sin embargo, todavía hay miembros que no se atreven a respaldar públicamente el esfuerzo sindical debido al efecto de enfriamiento de la campaña inicial antisindical de ASPIRA. Es por eso que ahora estamos pidiendo a la mesa directiva que declare públicamente que no va a interferir con el derecho del personal a organizarse y que esté de acuerdo en proporcionar una vía pacífica y sin obstáculos para el reconocimiento del sindicato.
Por favor firme esta petición exigiendo a la mesa directiva de ASPIRA que respete los derechos de su personal mediante la promesa de permanecer neutral durante el esfuerzo de sindicalismo en ASPIRA.