Dear Fellow Union Members,

My name is Dave Carrell; I am the vice president of the Eagle Point Education Association (EPEA), and on behalf of our membership, I am asking for your support as we enter day three of our strike.
On May 8, 2012 after nearly 27 hours straight at the negotiating table, the EPEA and the Eagle Point School District #9 ended bargaining and are scheduled to resume bargaining Thursday, May 10, 2012. The state mediator set the meeting time for 10:00 a.m., however, the district has said that they are unavailable until 11:00 a.m.
 

It seems to me that whether we are police officers, firefighters, postal workers, state and municipal workers, or teachers, we are basically facing the same kinds of problems. The funding systems are broken, and rather than taking the politically difficult steps in Salem to solve the problem, we are asked to continually do more and more with less. This path is not sustainable. Our members feel strongly about this and will be walking the picket line for a third day as we say NO MORE!
 

I am writing you to ask for your assistance—whether it be financial, encouraging your membership to attend our picket lines, or just your well wishes.  I can tell you that it has been a very difficult two days, and while our membership is strong, a morale boost from some of our neighboring brothers and sisters would be so welcome.
 

Please check out our website: www.epead9.org, or visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/EaglePointEA. We need collaboration.
 

Please help us turn back this tide before it reaches your district or profession. We will be hitting the picket lines at our schools and our District Office (11 N Royal Ave Eagle Point OR, 97524) at the crack of dawn. I am hoping that your own members will empathize with our situation in District 9 enough to turn out in support of us.

In solidarity,

Dave Carrell
Vice President
EPEA