Welcome to my campaign blog!

REELECT BRUCE BANNER
AS EDUCATION AUSTIN'S
VICE PRESIDENT FOR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES

A union member's best friend

A bad boss's worst nightmare

Hi and welcome to my campaign blog. I'm Bruce Banner and I am running for re-election as Education Austin's Vice President for Classified Employees in Austin ISD. I've served as your Classified Vice President since August 2000. During this time, I've poured my heart and soul, my blood, sweat and tears into the union and the Classified Employees that I have had the privilege of representing. Here are some of the things we've accomplished together:

• Won equal percentage pay raises to Teachers in 8 of the last 10 years, including the 11.7% two-year pay agreement
  
• Won experience pay for Classified Employees through a member's grievance
• Won option direct deposit for Biweekly Classified Employees after years of struggle
• Won the right to grieve Classified Employee terminations before the AISD Trustees
• Won enhanced rights and authority for School Bus Drivers and Monitors
• Won paid civic leave for summer Transportation Employees
• Won enhanced pay for elementary Clerk IIIs to Clerk IVs
• Won back pay owed to 300 new Classified Employees who were not given their $500 healthcare stipend
• Created a Classified Employee Orientation video for new employees
• Created the AISD "Classified Employee of the Year" award at the annual AISD Salute
  
• Enforced the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) by a federal lawsuit and created improved overtime and comp time rules
• Enforced the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and protected employee leave rights
• Protected the Educational Aide Tuition Exemption for Teacher Assistants and college
• Stopped the "Zone" program path to Custodian privatization
• Stopped the Texas Legislature's attempt to take $500 from 300,000 Texas Classified Employees
  

and more.

I've initiated programs, training and consultation proposals aimed at ending so-called "at-will employment" for Classified Employees, by which they can be terminated at any time, for any legal reason or for no reason at all, without notice. ALL AISD employees deserve the right to "Just Cause employment" status like Teachers have, which provides for due process for the employee and the burden of proof to show cause for termination is with the employer. This matter is currently in Consultation. You can read about one member's struggle here in the Austin Chronicle.

I've been an innovator in creating power for Education Austin and our members:

• I was the first to file and win "whistleblower" grievances in AISD
• I was the first to advocate for strongly enforcing pro-employee work rules and laws in the absence of a collectively bargained contract
• I developed with staff effective and efficient tools for dealing with bad administrators and supervisors, resulting in the removal of several
• On behalf of the membership and union, I've received numerous awards for membership and achievement from the National Education Association (NEA), the Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA), the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Texas AFT, raising the profile and status of Education Austin and organized Classified Employees.
  

I've brought technology to Education Austin:

• I won a National Education Association ESPIS Technology Grant and used it to purchase autodialer or "robocall" technology, relieving staff and officers of some phone call duty
• I introduced the use of listservs to Education Austin, which can send out thousands of emails instantly, in strategic coordination with the union's website
• I introduced online electronic surveys to the union and expanded their use to doing campus climate surveys to document poor administrations
• I also have produced the vast majority of the union's graphics and flyers over the past 8 years.

There is still much important work left to do:

• Winning full "Just Cause" employment status for Classified Employees.
• Expanding the use of Consultation to advance employee rights and powers.
• Improving Austin ISD Teachers and Support Employees pay to state and national levels
• Creating a new and unified "indexed step" pay system that is fair to new employees and veterans as well as Classified Employees
  
• Struggling with our allies to win collective bargaining in Texas
• Expanding and deeping our union and workplace democracy so that it serves ALL members and not just the few.

In close, I can say that I am proud of my work for you and Education Austin. Because there is still more good work to be done for Classified Employees in particular but also all union members in general, I humbly ask for your vote and support to reelect Bruce Banner as Vice President for Classified Employees. Thank you.

In solidarity forever,
Bruce Banner
Vice President for Classified Employees
Education Austin
TSTA/NEA, Texas AFT/AFT, AFL-CIO