President's message
It’s Back to School!
Sisters and Brothers,
What an exciting time this is as we welcome our students back to campuses. I am so proud of how hard you have worked to prepare for this moment. Our students and our members' smiling faces says it all. In the past two months since I took office, so much has happened. I have appointed over 600 volunteers to many roles throughout the organization, from Regional Representatives to Committee Chairpersons and Committee Members. It is always exciting to have the opportunity to work with members who are committed to our mission and eager to step up into leadership roles. It’s also exciting to have new member leaders join the ranks and bring their fresh ideas and perspective to the conversation. I am thrilled to announce that the Governor has signed all six of our legislative bills for 2021. Read more about our historic legislative victories in From the Capitol. We have never seen this much legislative success, and this is on the heels of securing unprecedented funding levels for public education in this year’s budget as well as the nearly half billion dollars set aside by AB 86 in March to rehire laid off paras and hire new paras to help our students recover lost learning opportunities. These successes would not have been possible without the hard work of our members and our staff. Your support of the Victory Club allows us to elect labor-friendly lawmakers who support worker rights, which, this year, included record funding and historic legislation for classified staff. Speaking of successes, both of our endorsed candidates for CalPERS, including CSEA’s own Jose Luis Pacheco, won their elections by a large margin. This would not have been possible without our members and retirees who volunteered their time to make phone calls and text CalPERS members across California. It is also a clear demonstration of our strength in unity, showing that we can make a difference when we vote for those who support us. As we look forward, I am excited to announce that CSEA is returning to in-person meetings and events sponsored by the state Association. Throughout the pandemic, the health and safety of our members, staff and communities has been our top priority and we continue to make this a priority. In order to maximize in-person meeting attendance, protect CSEA members and staff, and safeguard the Association from enormous liability, CSEA is requiring members who attend events sponsored by the state Association in person to be vaccinated. You can read more on the events FAQ page. I look forward to seeing you at an event soon. Don’t miss an opportunity to view my new video series, "What's the Word?", released every other Wednesday, where I interview members about important topics. I enjoy being able to connect with our members on their job site and let them share their thoughts and feelings, especially as we return to campuses. Sharing our experiences and learning from each other will help us continue to build a strong and resilient union.
In Solidarity,
Matthew "Shane" Dishman, Association President
Important wins in CalPERS election!
CSEA continues to have a strong voice on the CalPERS Board of Administration thanks in large part to the strong showing of support from our members and retirees during this fall’s election. Our very own Jose Luis Pacheco and incumbent David Miller won the CalPERS Board of Administration Position B seat and Position A seat, respectively, for four-year terms.
Pacheco won comfortably with 61.76 percent of the vote and Miller won with 72.65 percent. The final turnout was over 196,000 votes, which is the highest in recent memory!
As classified staff, we count on our CalPERS pensions for a retirement where we can take care of ourselves and our families. The best way to ensure our retirement security is to exercise our voices to elect caretakers who will defend our defined benefits, our healthcare and the long-term viability of our investment in the CalPERS system.
Our members and retirees helped these newly elected officials cross the finish line to ensure this will be the case for years to come.
Read more about how CSEA retirees got involved in the President’s Message.
New AP video series launches: “What’s the Word?”
Association President Matthew "Shane" Dishman has launched his new video series: "What's the Word?" In these episodes, Dishman speaks with members across California about current issues that matter most to them. In his first video, members share their thoughts on COVID-19 vaccines, the CalPERS election and the recall election.
In his latest video, he visits Ohlone College to talk to Chapter President Lea Witmer about the vaccine protocols they negotiated. He also connects with members about how the new semester is going and how their roles have changed because of the pandemic.
Stay tuned for new episodes every other week that showcase the diverse voices of CSEA’s union family. Catch each episode by simply subscribing to the CSEA YouTube channel at youtube.com/CSEAvideo. To watch previous episodes, click here.
