Paraprofessionals in Education

United Educators of San Francisco Local 61 Records

dgolodner — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:06:08 -0400

The United Educators of San Francisco formed in 1989 after a merger of the local American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association chapters. The Union represents teachers and paraprofessionals in the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Prior to the merger, membership was split between the two unions - AFT Local 61 San Francisco Federation of Teachers, and the NEA affiliated San Francisco Classroom Teachers Association - and a large number of teachers opted out of membership altogether. Neither union had the numbers to establish a stable leadership position. Once the Rodda Act granted bargaining rights in California, the SFFT and SFCTA fought for control of SFUSD collective bargaining for teachers, alternately winning elections. This divisiveness hurt the unions’ bargaining position with the school board. For many years, beginning with SFFT President James Ballard in the 1970s, the two unions held discussions on a potential merger. It wasn’t until 1989 under SFFT president Joan Marie Shelley and SFCTA President Judy Dellamonica that the two San Francisco unions finally reached an agreement, which the membership approved by vote.

Part I of this collection contains material from the San Francisco Federation of Teachers, including minutes of the Executive Boards (1951-52, 1956-68) and general membership meeting minutes (1956-68); clippings, bulletins, memos, and photos concerning the 1968 strike and negotiations; clippings from the 1971 strike; reports and correspondence of the Bargaining Committee and various other committees; and newsletters.

Part II consist of records created before, during, and after the merger of the SFFT and SFCTA. Included are correspondence, chronological files, minutes, newsletters, news releases, leaflets and flyers, membership and dues ledgers, grievance files, salary schedules, contracts, constitutions and bylaws, chronological files, and photographs.

AFT Affiliate St. Louis Teachers Union Local 420 Records

dgolodner — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:06:08 -0400

The St. Louis (Missouri) Teachers Union was organized in 1935 by Paul W. Preisler, as
the Teachers Union of St. Louis and St. Louis County. Its jurisdiction extended over
these separate political entities in order to include members from Washington University.
In 1944 the name of the local was changed to Teacher’s Federation of St. Louis and St.
Louis County. Its 1948 merger with Local 680, St. Louis Vocational Teachers’ Union,
extended Local 420’s jurisdiction to include “all eligible teachers in St. Louis and St.
Louis County including vocational and college teachers.” By 1962 its name had been
shortened to St. Louis Teachers Union. The St. Louis Teachers Union experienced great growth between 1961 and 1963, during which period its membership grew from 81 to 1,417. Membership grew in the 1970s after the AFT became sole bargaining agent for teachers and with the inclusion of paraprofessionals and support staff, but internal disputes and unsuccessful strikes led to many resignations and a decline in membership in 1968 and 1976.

Part I of this collection contains office files of the AFT local representing the teachers of St. Louis, Missouri. Correspondence, clippings, minutes, press releases, and other materials dealing with such topics as tenure, desegregation, educational standards, membership drives, and collective bargaining by teachers. Several of the files consist of the records of Betty Finneran as a vice-president of the AFT.

Part II of this collection contains material created or used by Betty Finneran and reflect her activities as well as activities of the union as a whole. Finneran served as president, secretary, and treasurer of Local 420 and founded the Retiree Chapter. Local 420 subjects include a dispute with the Missouri Federation of Teachers, raiding between Local 420 and the local National Education Association chapter, internal disputes among board members, organizing and elections, and desegregation of St. Louis schools. Outside of Local 420, Finneran was involved with the St. Louis Coalition of Labor Union Women and other women's rights efforts.

AFT Organizing Department Records

scaloia — Wed, 18 Nov 2015 16:37:56 -0500

The Organizing Department facilitates the growth of local affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers. Under the tenures of David Selden and Albert Shanker, both of whom had extensive organizing experience prior to their respective presidencies, organizing efforts ramped up significantly in the 1960s and 1970s. The AFT was the fastest growing union in the mid-1970s when organizing became a distinct department. The department provides services and resources to state and local affiliates across the country. Field representatives and other department staff members assist locals in organizing campaigns and collective bargaining elections. Individuals who have served as head of organizing in the past include Jim Mundy, John Schmid, Phil Kugler, and Lou Nayman.

The AFT Organizing Department Records include correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, contracts and bargaining agreements, grievance files, surveys, newsletters and brochures, personnel files, material related to workshops and conferences, and organizing campaign files. Organizing efforts revolve around primary and secondary school teachers and paraprofessionals, bus drivers, college and university employees, and nurses and other health care professionals.

Ann Filardo Papers

drice — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:09:57 -0500

Ann Filardo was chairperson and executive board member of the Teachers Action Caucus, a rank and file caucus within the United Federation of Teachers, and founder of the United Action Caucus, a national rank and file group within the American Federation of Teachers. Her papers reflect her involvement with both groups.

(30374) AFT President Albert Shanker talking to Loretta Johnson

jhelpap — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:45:32 -0400

AFT President Albert Shanker with AFT vice president Loretta Johnson at the Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel Conference.

(30375) Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel Conference

jhelpap — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:57:01 -0400

Members of AFT's standing committee on paraprofessionals at the conference were (from left) Maria Portalatin (New York City), Ernestine Brown (Chicago), and Earlean Greene (Detroit).

(30376) AFT Vice-President Loretta Johnson, Phyllis Korfeld

jhelpap — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:07:19 -0400

AFT vice-president Loretta Johnson chats with Phyllis Kornfeld, both of the AFT's national paraprofessional /SRP committee

(30377) AFT President Albert Shanker speaks at the Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel Conference

jhelpap — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:12:28 -0400

AFT president Albert Shanker speaks at the opening session of the PSRP conference.

(30379) AFL-CIO Director of Education Dorothy Shields

jhelpap — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:53 -0400

AFL-CIO director of education, Dorothy Shields speaks at the Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel conference.She was the keynote speaker on the last day of the conference.

[Podcast] Para Power: How Paraprofessional Labor Changed Education

teller — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 07:18:53 -0400

Dr. Nick Juravich discusses the experiences of the first-generation of paraprofessional educators in New York City in the 1960s-1980s and their impact on the city’s educational system, community relations, and public sector unions. read more »