How many hours can an employer legally ask you to work if your fulltime?

I'd start by checking out the California Industrial Relations website - http://www.dir.ca.gov/ - I'm not sure what kind of employee you are or whether the school is already unionized. I assume that you are not in a public school, but even so the California Teachers Association might be a useful resource just to see what kind of conditions people in a similar position have - http://www.cta.org/home.aspx. There may also be labor codes for the city that you live in - you can call city hall and ask to talk to someone in labor relations.

Also - the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) is an old umbrella union of sorts thats been used by anarchists and communists for 100 years. Regardless of whether you ultimately decide to organize yourselves as an IWW local, they can still provide you with advice and point you in the right direction. I know there are lots of IWW folks in the bay area -especially the east bay. Check out www.iww.org or http://www.iww.org/en/organize.

Hope that helps!

check with the SEIU (service employees international union).

feel free to send me an email at vp@uaw2865.org - sarah

p.s. i would not call city hall before you talk with a union

I'll be very curious to follow this as I teach in a PUBLIC school in Atlanta....and the teachers (who work all day and all night prepping and grading) are being told that we MUST attend graduation which will be on the Sunday of Memorial Weekend. Can they force us to work on a non-contract day?? We have no union, unfortunately. Help!