Comments on: Things get heated at Piedmont Elementary

By: Havehadenough

Havehadenough — Sun, 02 May 2010 06:40:47 +0000

I think that it is a crying shame to allow students and teachers to act as if this is ok. Hello, Oakland teachers, wake up and do your jobs-teach. You looked like a bunch of idiots. You all did not get paid (more $$ for the district) and nothing was lost with ADA!!
Who’s confused now?

By: PinkertonsNeeded

PinkertonsNeeded — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:27:20 +0000

I stand 6’1” and haul a whopping 180lbs and I had a 5’4” young women throw her shoulder at me as a passed into the District offcs! o0! I had to laugh.

But at Oak High — as the pictures show– the “unidentified man” is clearly getting a much more forcefull shove the the OEA rep stirring things up on that campus. Some organizers are just trifling.

By: cranky researcher

cranky researcher — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 06:08:41 +0000

David Orphal: The union head *really* was quoted saying that potential ‘scabs’ should think about their “health and safety” before crossing picket lines, and police were called to several lines because of harassment of line-crossers. So really, yes, I’m questioning the behavior of some (= OEA leader) picketers. I’m sure it’s a tiny minority but I’ve seen union leaders lose their cool, to the extent they ever had any, plenty at board meetings so I can only imagine how they behaved when someone tried to cross the picket line. The rank and file are largely dedicated hardworking teachers, no slight intended.

By: J.R.

J.R. — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:03:08 +0000

Don’t forget, those are real people crossing those picket lines, people would could lose their jobs or just can’t afford a day of missed work because if they don’t work,they risk everything. Teachers are risking nothing except one days pay and are completely protected by their union and by seniority and tenure. Whats far worse than scabs are people who can’t or won’t do their jobs to the best of their ability(burnouts, coasters and malcontents all).

By: David Orphal

David Orphal — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:48:32 +0000

Teachers acting thuggish? Really? The city trusts its children to thugs? Does anyone really think that teachers would get violent toward scabs or colleagues who cross the picket line? Really?

Yes, we are upset when scabs cross the picket line. When someone takes the District $300 to provide unlicensed and unskilled child care during a teacher-stike, then they are a scab, plain and simple.

Yes, we are upset when our non-teacher co-workerd cross our line. We understand that they have been threatened with discipline action “up to and including termination” from the District. We understand they are in an awful position. While we understand this, we would not cross their picket line if the situation were reversed. We told our colleagues this.

Is it awkward, is it painful? Yes. Is it a threat? No.

By: cranky researcher

cranky researcher — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:34:50 +0000

In your main article on the strike yesterday, Katy, Olsen-Jones seems to openly threaten violence against line-crossers: ‘Olson-Jones said employees might be able to skirt the no-strike clause by telling their supervisors they don’t feel safe crossing the picket line. “They’ve been reminded by their union leaders that they shouldn’t do anything that will endanger their health and safety,” she said.’
And now reports of needing police to cross the line? In another context, Olsen-Jones assured parents that the union wants to persuade, not intimidate. Are strikers acting thuggish toward staff who choose to go to work?

By: Castlemont Teacher

Castlemont Teacher — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:24:06 +0000

Castlemont had a great showing of teachers and students. Parents were very supportive of what the teachers were doing. We allowed anyone to cross if that is what they wanted.

On to the rally in downtown!