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There are about 200 part-time adult education teachers in Oakland. We help serve approximately 30,000 adult students. The District recently forced a health care caps on us. According to their own January budget, they have a $2.85 million adult education surplus. The cap, the first ever on part-time adult education teachers, is only saving the district about $11,000 a year.

We serve 30,000 adult students in Oakland

• We teach GED classes, job training, how to become a US citizen, English as a second language, and classes for the frail elderly.
• Our students include young adults, parents, seniors, immigrants, and the disabled.
• Most of us earn less than $12,000 a year, forcing us to work other jobs to make a living.
• This cap is the same as a pay cut for us. We've had no raises in the last 3 years.

Lift the health care cap!

• The District has capped their share of health insurance. This is a terrible burden on teachers.
• The District is also raising the co-pay for doctor's visits, emergency room visits and hospitalization.
• Last year, the District threatened to shut down the entire adult education program if the teachers demanded health benefits.

Adult education has a $2.85 million budget surplus

• The district is only saving $11,000 a year with its health care caps on adult ed teachers
• The district gets a cost of living adjustment from the state every year. None of that money gone to raise adult education teachers' salaries, despite negotiations.
• The District's own January budget shows they have a $2.85 million dollar surplus.
• The same budget shows the surplus could grow by as much as $600,000 this year.

Part-time adult education teachers are a crucial part of the Oakland community. But experienced, qualified teachers will have to find work elsewhere if these caps aren't lifted. Full-time adult education and K-12 teachers are also being threatened. Call the District today, at (510) 879-8200, and tell them 'Students deserve healthy teachers with health benefits.' For more information go to www.aft771.org or call (510) 832-8817 for more information.