Kenosha Honored at AFL-CIO Reception

By Chris Perillo, President
July 25, 2008

KEA delegates to the NEA-RA in Washington, D.C., received an invitation to a special reception at the AFL-CIO Headquarters.

The reception was to celebrate the partnership agreements in place and those pending among leaders of merged states and directly affiliated locals like the KEA. NEA and AFL-CIO national leaders mixed with the crowd and KEA members.

AFL-CIO President John Sweeny was present along with Arlene Holt Baker, the AFL-CIO executive secretary, and other officials.

Sweeney noted the importance of working with teachers’ unions: “By giving local unions of the NEA the opportunity to unite with our 9 million members, we’ll be able to wage stronger campaigns to help working families fend off escalating assaults on family incomes, education, health care, pensions, and public services. And we’ll be stronger in the fight for quality, affordable health care for all, retirement security, and a great education for our children.”

KEA President Chris Perillo was presented with a copy of the preamble to the AFL-CIO Constitution by John Sweeny and other officers at the event. The document is signed by the AFL-CIO officers. We are getting it framed up, and it will be hanging in the meeting room at the KEA office soon.

KEA Members at Work in Washington, DC

By Chris Perillo, President
July 25, 2008.

This year the KEA had 11 teachers and 1 ESP elected from our local to attend and 4 teachers elected as state representatives with 2-year terms. Elected KEA delegates were Mary Dawson, Melinda Duford, Kira Fetissoff, Jim Jorsch, Marv Modder, Mary Modder, Jeanne Sanchez-Bell, Casimir Uchegbu, Kristi LaCroix, Laura Betker, Josefina Chairez, and Chuck Werve. State delegates were Ray Heideman, Sally Heideman, Anne Knapp, and Chris Perillo. Retired KEA member Kay Krause also attended as a delegate.

Delegates were involved in many different activities, such as Resolutions, New Business Items, campaigns, fundraising, and public relations.  For further details and daily events, go to the WEAC website and open up issues of the WisCAP Times.

Everyone had their moment in the sun.  Be sure to catch the acceptance speech by Laura Vernon, ESP of the Year (from Milwaukee); the Teacher of the Year speech; a speech from the first teacher in space; and others, all available as podcasts through http://www.broadcasturban.net/webcast/nea2008/.

This year the KEA’s WEAC Board Representative, Sally Heideman, received the Wisconsin Delegate of Distinction Award. WEAC President Mary Bell sited Sally’s years of work and effort to make many NEA-RAs a success for Wisconsin delegates. Almost as a testament to Sally’s service, the KEA delegates at the NEA-RA exceeded the recommended NEA-PAC contribution of $180 per person, pushing the total raised to over $1.8 million this year for NEA-PAC.

With over 9,000 NEA members in attendance (the number balloons to over 17,000 if you include guests, staff, and others on hand to help delegates), the NEA-RA is something you have to see to believe.

Elections for KEA delegates to the NEA-RA are held in March. All KEA members are eligible to run. The 2009 NEA-RA will be in San Diego, CA; contact KEA President Chris Perillo for more information.