Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
"WHERE THE HELL IS DAVID SANCHEZ AND THE CTA"
AFT Places WTU Under Administratorship
To Handle WTU Internal Election
WASHINGTON—The American Federation of Teachers today placed the Washington Teachers’ Union under administratorship to ensure that democratic procedures are followed promptly for the 2010 WTU internal elections. This action is part of an ongoing effort by the AFT to ensure that the WTU elections are carried out in a manner consistent with the WTU constitution and does not currently involve the day-to-day operations of the WTU.According to the WTU constitution, elections were supposed to be held last spring, with the installation of new officers by July 1. For various reasons, starting with the failure to properly elect an elections committee, that election was delayed. The AFT intervened to manage that initial concern, but unfortunately, the new election committee was stymied in its attempt to carry out the election.
“The AFT intervened for one purpose only—to ensure that the WTU membership has the right to a timely and fair election of its officers,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Intervention like this is uncommon, and we avoid in every way possible involving ourselves in political differences between union officers.”
The AFT said the WTU is refusing to comply with an Aug. 4 AFT executive council order requiring the union to begin election procedures immediately. This order was the result of an investigation conducted by the AFT in July. The investigation produced a number of findings, one of which was that the election process should begin immediately, with the AFT managing the proceedings.
In an Aug. 16 letter, the holdover officials of the WTU—President George Parker and the WTU executive board—informed the AFT that they did not intend to adhere to the ruling of the investigative committee, prompting the AFT to declare the administratorship.
“The 4,000-plus members of the WTU deserve an election process that is democratic, fair, transparent and timely,” Weingarten said. “We are confident in our ability to work through the current difficulties to provide them with the chance to properly elect their leaders"
This sounds interesting and strangly well like a "real union." I don't know all the details but I did notice this: Randi Weingarten called the union election process "Democratic, fair and transparent." David Sanchez of CTA said that, " A union is not a democracy." Could there be a difference? How far could that difference reach?
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The Art of SETTING LIMITS, Its not as easy as it looks.
Art of Setting Limits Setting limits is one of the most powerful tools that professionals have to promote positive behavior change for their clients, students, residents, patients, etc. Knowing there are limits on their behavior helps the individuals in your charge to feel safe. It also helps them learn to make appropriate choices.
There are many ways to go about setting limits, but staff members who use these techniques must keep three things in mind:
Setting a limit is not the same as issuing an ultimatum.
Limits aren’t threats—If you don’t attend group, your weekend privileges will be suspended.
Limits offer choices with consequences—If you attend group and follow the other steps in your plan, you’ll be able to attend all of the special activities this weekend. If you don’t attend group, then you’ll have to stay behind. It’s your decision.
The purpose of limits is to teach, not to punish.
Through limits, people begin to understand that their actions, positive or negative, result in predictable consequences. By giving such choices and consequences, staff members provide a structure for good decision making.
Setting limits is more about listening than talking.
Taking the time to really listen to those in your charge will help you better understand their thoughts and feelings. By listening, you will learn more about what’s important to them, and that will help you set more meaningful limits.
Download The Art of Setting Limits
SYSTEMATIC USE OF CHILD LABOR
CHILD DOMESTIC HELP
by Amanda Kloer
Published February 21, 2010 @ 09:00AM PT
category: Child Labor
Wanted: Domestic worker. Must be willing to cook, clean, work with garbage, and do all other chores as assigned. No contract available, payment based on employer's mood or current financial situation. No days off. Violence, rape, and sexual harassment may be part of the job.
Would you take that job? No way. But for thousands of child domestic workers in Indonesia, this ad doesn't just describe their job, it describes their life.
A recent CARE International survey of over 200 child domestic workers in Indonesia found that 90% of them didn't have a contract with their employer, and thus no way to legally guarantee them a fair wage (or any wage at all) for their work. 65% of them had never had a day off in their whole employment, and 12% had experienced violence. Child domestic workers remain one of the most vulnerable populations to human trafficking and exploitation. And while work and life may look a little grim for the kids who answered CARE's survey, it's likely that the most abused and exploited domestic workers didn't even have the opportunity to take the survey.
In part, child domestic workers have it so much harder than adults because the people who hire children are more likely looking for someone easy to exploit. Think about it -- if you wanted to hire a domestic worker, wouldn't you choose an adult with a stronger body and more life experience to lift and haul and cook than a kid? If you could get them both for the same price, of course you would. But what if the kid was cheaper, free even, because you knew she wouldn't try and leave if you stopped paying her. Or even if you threatened her with death.
Congress Aims to Improve Laws for Runaway, Prostituted Kids
by Amanda Kloercategories: Child Prostitution, Pimping
Published February 20, 2010 @ 09:00AM PT
The prospects for healthcare reform may be chillier than DC weather, but Democrats in the House and Senate are turning their attention to another warmer but still significant national issue: the increasing number of runaway and throwaway youth who are being forced into prostitution. In response to the growing concerns that desperate, runaway teens will be forced into prostitution in a sluggish economy, Congress is pushing several bills to improve how runaway kids are tracked by the police, fund crucial social services, and prevent teens from being caught in sex trafficking. Here's the gist of what the new legislation is trying to accomplish:Shelter: Lack of shelter is one of the biggest vulnerabilities of runaway and homeless youth. Pimps will often use an offer of shelter as an entree to a relationship with a child or a straight up trade for sex. In the past couple years, at least 10 states have made legislative efforts to increase the number of shelters, extend shelter options, and change state reporting requirements so that youth shelters have enough time to win trust and provide services before they need to report the runaways to the police. Much of the new federal legislation would make similar increases in the availability and flexibility of shelter options.
Police Reporting: Right now, police are supposed to enter all missing persons into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database within two hours of receiving the case. In reality, that reporting doesn't always get done, making it almost impossible for law enforcement to search for missing kids across districts. This hole is a big problem in finding child prostitution victims and their pimps, since pimps will often transport girls from state to state. The new bill would strengthen reporting requirements, as well as facilitate communication between the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the National Runaway Switchboard
We Must Never Forget These Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen and Women
Nor the Fool Politicians that used so many American GIs' lives as fodder for the fight over an english noun - "Communism"