TEACHERS UNION HOLDING ANNUAL CONFERENCE AT UCLA

Adolfo Guzman-Lopez | KPCC | http://bit.ly/p6AVGq

Aug. 1, 2011 | The leader of California’s largest teachers union will open a yearly conference at UCLA today with a message focused on getting educators more involved with their local union groups.

California Teachers Association President Dean Vogel concedes that many teachers don’t vote or take part in the key decisions made by their unions. He blames budget cuts and the demands of work.

"There is so much going on, there is so much pressure in the classroom that it’s all they can do, to continue to do the best job that they can do without having to worry about the policies of the union," he said.

More engagement would lead to a more financially stable union, he says. The union’s coffers have been hit hard as it’s lost members. The CTA represents about 300,000 public school and college educators. Budget cutting and layoffs have led to the loss of about 40,000 members in the last three years.