By Doug Cunningham

The California Federation of teachers is battling several ballot initiatives that would cut the education budget, make it much harder for unions to spend money on politics and force teachers to wait five years for tenure. California federation of teachers President Mary Bergen says all working families should unite in this political struggle because union teachers have much in common with all working families.

[Mary Begren 1] : "We all look fort security of employment, we look for good benefits, we all look for secure pensions. So in terms of bread and butter issues there's a lot of overlay."

Bergen says teachers must cope with what happens in the greater society to working families and their children.

[Bergen 2 : "Families whose children we're responsible for have working lives. And what happens in the greater society affects all of us. It affects them and whether or not they are able to be in unions affects the standard of living they are able to give their children."