California Federation of Labor Unions Supports Richard Barrera for Superintendent of Public Instruction
(San Diego) The California Federation of Labor Unions (CFLU), AFL-CIO, has chosen Democrat Richard Barrera as its endorsed candidate for the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction in November’s General Election. CFLU is made up of more than 1,300 affiliated unions, representing 2.3 million union members in manufacturing, retail, construction, hospitality, public sector, health care, entertainment and other industries. CFLU mobilizes 20,000 union volunteers every election cycle to talk to voters and identify their endorsed candidates.
“California Labor is backing the only qualified candidate for SPI on the ballot who will invest in the workers who make California schools run, protect our education system from federal attacks, and support the next generation of young people who deserve a world-class public education,” says Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO.
Richard Barrera is the President of the San Diego Unified School District, where he has served on the Board of Trustees for nearly eighteen years. He is currently in his fifth term as Board President. During his tenure, Barrera led a reform movement that transformed San Diego Unified, the state’s second largest district and one of its most diverse, from a district in crisis into a model of success whose students rank first in the nation in reading and math among large urban school districts. Among large California districts, San Diego students also rank number one in graduation rates and college and career readiness.
In order to achieve these results, Barrera prioritized investment in front line educators over administrative overhead and outside consultants. The district increased salaries by fifty percent during his tenure, while maintaining paid family health benefits at no cost to district employees. He has also spearheaded the development of affordable housing for teachers and classified staff on under-utilized school district properties.
Barrera says, “I am grateful to have the support of my brothers and sisters in labor, who are the cornerstone of California’s economy, the fourth largest in the world. This is an honor I will wear with pride.”
Barrera is also endorsed by the California Democratic Party. CFLU’s endorsement caps a growing list of labor organizations supporting Barrera including every major school-related union, led by the California Teachers Association (CTA), the California Federation of Teachers (CFT), and the California School Employees Association (CSEA). Also endorsing Barrera are the Service Employees Union California (SEIU CA), the United Domestic Workers (UDW), the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, and the California Professional Firefighters. A complete list of those endorsing Barrera can be found at https://www.barreraforedu.com/641677865886 .
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Barrera is available for one-on-one interviews. Learn more about him at https://www.barreraforedu.com/
For more information contact Dale Kelly Bankhead, 619.549.3140, dkbankhead@yahoo.com