Waukesha, WI – On July 12, nearly 800 people silently rallied to support Waukesha public school teacher Melissa Tempel. Waukesha Alliance for Education organized the rally and encouraged participants to wear black armbands. This is a subtle nod to Mary Beth Tinker, the lead plaintiff in the Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District ruling, a landmark 1969 decision regarding censorship in education settings.

The Waukesha School District (WSD) held a hearing for Tempel, a teacher at Heyer Elementary School. Tempel was also a union representative within the Wisconsin Education Association Council (WEAC) Region 7. The hearing was held to consider the recommendation made for Melissa Tempel's termination. The rally was heavily monitored by Waukesha area police at the specific request of the reactionary Waukesha school board members.

This is following the denial from Tempel’s supervisor, the principal of Heyer Elementary, to use the song Rainbowland by Miley Cyrus (featuring Dolly Parton) in a school play. It then went to the school board where they said that the song was “too controversial.”

This decision comes after a ban that WSD introduced that censored material related to “Black lives matter'' and “Pride.” Upon the passage of this policy, WSD Superintendent James Sebert and Deputy Superintendent Joe Koch stated in a letter, “Our advocacy for curricular resources and support for learning are never ending, but our personal beliefs and convictions must stay out of the classroom.”

Tempel and other union teachers took a strong position in 2021 against the bans. The Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association (a WEAC affiliate), the National Educators Association and Free Little Library created a “Read Banned Books” campaign that focused on censorship policies in public schools.

The majority of WSD board members align with reactionary views. The Wisconsin Achievement Partnership (WAP) is a non-profit organization that is staunchly anti-union and anti-LGBTQ. WAP is an organization that most Waukesha school board members have strong ties to. The organization held a counter-protest in support of Tempel’s termination.

Tempel’s supporters argue that she was exercising her First Amendment rights. The right to free speech was seen across the many signs at the rally. Many of Tempel’s fellow educators at the event indicated that it’s important for them to show up for her because this could happen to any one of them.

In spite of the mass protest, the Waukesha School District board voted 9-0 to move forward with Tempel’s termination. She plans to follow up with a federal lawsuit focused on First Amendment violations. While the school board ruling comes as a disappointment, Tempel has an overwhelming number of supporters and fellow teachers willing to fight for what’s best for their students, and Tempel herself is committed to continuing the struggle, not only for herself but for her fellow educators as well as the students she cares deeply about.

#WaukeshaWI #Labor #teachers #Wisconsin #TeachersUnions

Atlanta, GA – UPS Teamsters across the state of Georgia are holding practice pickets at UPS facilities this week as negotiations between the Teamsters and UPS have begun to break down. The practice picketing is part of a national mobilization of rank-and-file Teamsters to prepare for a strike at UPS and to let the company know that the Teamsters are serious about striking for a good contract.

The practice pickets come just after UPS walked away from the bargaining table July 5 when the union refused to agree to an offer they found unacceptable, saying it did not improve wages for part-time workers.

There are currently no further scheduled negotiations between the company and union. International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien has made it clear to the company that if there is no agreement between UPS and the Teamsters by July 31, around 350,000 UPS Teamsters will be going on strike August 1.

Corey Stiles is a package car driver in Atlanta and said, “All UPSers know that our contract is the gold standard in our industry. Despite record profits, UPS is doing everything in their power to start chipping away at the strength of our contract in hopes that we will concede to less than we deserve.” Stiles went on to say, “We will stand firm with our Teamster brothers and sisters to get a contract that both full-time and part-time employees have earned and deserve. This new contract will inspire those fighting without a union contract to keep up their fight as well.”

As of now, with no further bargaining scheduled, a nationwide UPS strike will begin on August 1 unless a deal is reached before then.

Bill Aiman is a package handler and Teamsters Local 728 union steward.

#AtlantaGA #Teamsters #TeachersUnions

On Monday, May 15, Fight Back! interviewed Michael Jones, president of the teachers’ unit with Madison Teachers, Incorporated (MTI), which represents nearly 2700 educators employed by the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), to discuss current conditions and a recent week of action where teachers worked to rule. Fight Back!: How long have you been working in Madison schools?

Michael Jones: I'm finishing up my 14th year in education, my ninth year in MMSD.

Fight Back!: What are the general conditions of work for educators in Madison right now?

Jones: Like many education workers nationally, statewide and locally, our working conditions are extremely challenging and demoralizing. Sometimes, it's building infrastructure, such as being in spaces without proper air conditioning, heating or ventilation. We're also facing a significant shortage of workers in education, from custodial or food service, to education assistants and teachers, to mental health services.

As conditions like increasing class sizes, reduced protected break and prep times, and increasing workloads persist, our veteran workers are leaving either the district or education altogether. And we're not recruiting and retaining new workers because the conditions are so inequitable. On top of all of that, our employer seems to have given up on trying to support and retain workers, rather refusing to invest money because it's seen as a lost cause. This is one of the long-term intended impacts of Scott Walker and Robin Vos’s plan to destroy public education when they undemocratically pushed through Act 10 in 2011.

Fight Back!: You mentioned Act 10. What impact has this and Right to Work legislation had on your union and the workplaces in general?

Jones: In many ways, it's decimated our workers' morale and ability to sustain a livable lifestyle in Wisconsin and Madison. There's the tangible costs of being underpaid tens of thousands of dollars in a late-stage capitalistic society, so people have made unfortunate choices like dropping union membership or leaving the profession for pure financial reasons. Then there's the emotional harm Walker and the Republicans have caused our schools and unions that seems irreparable, at times.

Right or wrong, one's wages reflect how they are valued in their society as a human being. And the messages – through Act 10, through union-busting actions at the state and local levels, and the racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynist, ableist actions pursued by leaders – to education workers have been clear: you are hated in the very communities you are trying to support and improve. It's not surprising that our system is in crisis — look at the messages we receive!

Fight Back!: What recent conditions specifically led to the week of action during Teacher Appreciation Week?

Jones: Over the past three years, MMSD has underpaid workers below the rate of inflation. Last year, the [Consumer Price Index] was 4.7% and the district only gave 3%. That means all workers took a pay cut since their wages weren't keeping up with inflation, even if the number on paper looked higher. Add to that the deteriorating conditions and the lack of district leadership empathy to our concerns, our workers decided to publicly take a stand on the unpaid, unrecognized and unsupported labor that educators are expected to do outside of our contracted day.

Because our system historically undervalues and underpays educators, because our workers are primarily people with uteruses and they are systemically underpaid in America, society just assumes that all those tests, quizzes, papers, lesson plans, parent and student communications, and professional development tasks can be done after school hours and on the weekends. Our action is to send a loud and clear message that you cannot take workers' labor for granted just because the system historically and culturally does so.

Fight Back!: What are the current demands of the rank-and-file educators?

Jones: We have 3 demands.

A cost-of-living adjustment to the full 8% that the state allows.

That MMSD produces a budget that is student-centered, so cuts or adjustments are not at the cost of cutting school-level positions and increasing class sizes and workloads, which they have proposed in their initial budget.

That workers' autonomous time – breaks and preps – are protected instead of workers being forced to do unnecessary and time-consuming tasks that do little to improve student achievement and are meant to leverage power from the top to the bottom.

Fight Back!: So what's next for the educators with MTI?

Jones: We are still in the planning stages of subsequent actions, but given the district's lack of interest in moving forward on a just budget, we anticipate our job actions to continue throughout the summer and fall, when students will be coming into school. A lot of unpaid and unrecognized labor goes into preparing for the next school year. If workers set limits on that unrecognized work, it would throw a wrench in administration's plans.

Fight Back!: How can people support MTI in its present and future struggles?

Jones: Thank you for asking. We are asking community members to engage the five actions in the online document that has been posted. This includes signing our petition, contacting the MMSD Board of Education, subscribing and sharing our social media outreach, and speaking up for workers.

Fight Back!: Looking ahead and beyond these immediate fights, would MTI be interested in collaborating with other unions and progressive community and student organizations from across the state to renew the fight against anti-labor laws like Act 10 and Right to Work?

Jones: We are ready and willing to work with all stakeholders for a more just society! We lead an education justice coalition to address school food security with community and student groups. And we financially and systemically support social justice organizations and unions allied with our values. We can do this work when we are connected and know we are not alone in the struggle!

#MadisonWI #TeachersUnion #TeachersUnions

Chicago, IL – The bell rang, and teachers, staff and students slowly rolled out the school doors. Today they were all wearing union red at the two Instituto del Progeso Latino (IDPL) schools in Chicago. They grabbed signs and started to chant and picket, “Who’s schools? Our schools!”

Many educators spoke of a toxic workplace where there is no response to staff concerns. “Our boss doesn’t respect the educators or the students at Instituto,” said CTU Council Chair Skot Holcombe, “in spite of this, we are fully united in the fight for our students and for our union.”

As the school year rolls past spring break, workers at the 12 unionized charter networks in Chicago are without a contract. The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) represents about 1200 members at 35 schools who are demanding equal pay for equal work and fully staffed schools with the social and emotional supports students deserve.

Days earlier a similar protest happened at the Chicago School for the Arts where the school’s private sector board cancelled its regular meeting rather than face protesters demanding that they put the public tax money they receive from Chicago Public Schools into classrooms, not boardrooms.

And more is yet to come. CTU has announced that it will protest the management of Acero Charter Schools at their board meeting on Wednesday, April 19. Acero is the largest unionized charter school network in Chicago, with 15 schools. CTU has also announced that it will participate in the Chicago May Day rally and march on April 29.

“Four year ago, we simultaneously – and successfully – struck three employers, including Instituto, on May Day. This is an important day of struggle for our educators, our students and the entire working class,” said Chris Baehrend, who was the chair of the CTU Charter School Division at that time.

The multiemployer contract battle in the Chicago charter schools promises to give an interesting finish to the 2022-23 school year

#ChicagoIL #teachers #TeachersUnions

The teachers and support staff aimed the message at legislators. They demanded relief from staffing shortages, raised awareness of the impact of these attacks on their working conditions and students’ learning conditions, and pushed back against the attempt to gut their union.

The rally began at the Saint Pete City Hall, and marched to the Tomlinson Adult Learning Center, nearby, which before it was closed and sold by the county, taught GED seekers and immigrants for 100 years. The county cited high cost of living downtown as a reason that enrollment declined and turned around to sell the lot to build high-priced luxury condos, according to event organizers.

As the protesters made their way through downtown, they were met with cheers and honks from supportive members of the community.

“We won’t be fooled,” said PCTA President Nancy Velardi, as she explained that the so called “teachers bill of rights,” SB 244, and the bill targeting public sector unions, SB 256, would do anything but protect teachers, as it requires 60% representation of teachers or face decertification. Decertifying the union would leave the teachers without representation in bargaining and negotiations with school boards. As bad as this part of the bill is, it also bans all union materials in the workplace, and bans direct withdrawals from members’ paychecks toward their union dues.

Leaving the Department of Education to protect teachers’ rights is like, “your principal, or your boss, telling you they’re going to look out for you. That’s why we have unions in the first place,” according to Velardi.

The teachers’ union has been a vocal advocate for their members, speaking out recently against the state’s drive to re-open schools in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic that would and has resulted in children and teachers getting sick, worsening the staffing crisis that the legislature has complained about.

Speakers from the PESPA, members of both unions, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Students for a Democratic Society, and the Pinellas Tenant’s Union, all spoke about the intertwined attacks on housing affordability, attacks on higher education, and against African Americans, with the recent banning of a Ruby Bridges movie – which tells the story of the six-year-old African American girl who first integrated New Orleans public schools – because one Pinellas parent objected.

DeSantis has unleashed a torrent of right-wing garbage this legislative session, as his right-wing minions scramble to do his bidding, the bidding of big business and a host of other reactionaries. Because when he targets teachers unions, the most unionized profession in Florida, DeSantis and his backers really are also targeting workers in general, hoping to terrorize them into accepting substandard and unsafe conditions and pay and leaving them without a voice in negotiations.

DeSantis has also pushed through a “school choice” bill, that would gut funding of public education. It would provide $8000 coupons for anyone to send their children to charter schools, which would be free to discriminate against special needs students. PESPA President Nelly Henjes explained that would result in, “those students coming back to us, in the public schools, after we’ve had our money taken away.” This giveaway to millionaires aligns perfectly with DeSantis’ tax giveaways to his big business backers over the past few years.

But in light of all these attacks on workers, students and parents, today’s rally disproved the expectation in Tallahassee that workers would roll over and not stand up against these attacks, or that the community wouldn’t rally to the side their teachers. Speakers emphasized the importance of joining militant unions that fight for their members, now more than ever.

#StPetersburgFL #TeachersUnions #PinellasClassroomTeachersAssociationPCTA

Bartow, FL – About 40 teachers and supporters protested in downtown Bartow on Saturday, April 1 demanding funding for public schools and protection of collective bargaining rights. The Polk Education Association hosted a picnic at their union hall followed by a march to State Senator Ben Albritton’s office. The PEA protest as part of a statewide day of action against Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature’s attacks on teachers’ unions.

Ben Albritton is the senate majority leader who will vote on two important bills in Florida’s legislative session this year. SB 202 allows private schools to get state funding that is currently for public schools alone. SB 256 removes automatic deduction of union dues from paychecks and raises union membership requirements from 50% to 60%. If these bills pass, Florida teachers will lose funding and risk having their unions decertified.

Stephanie Yocum, president of Polk Education Association said DeSantis is “scared of our collective action and our collective voice. He is more worried about trying to destroy our voice as regular working people to score political points to become president. And he is making leaders like Senator Albritton, who have not stood up to him, become part of the problem.”

At the picnic, teachers made signs and wrote postcards explaining how these bills would affect their jobs. During the march, protesters chanted, “Union busting? That’s disgusting!” and “Public funds belong in public schools!”

“As a constituent of Senator Albritton, I need him to listen to regular Floridians like me and you,” said Yocum to the crowd during her speech.

PEA left the postcards and signs at Albritton’s doorstep. The march circled downtown with drivers honking and waving in support.

#BartowFL #TeachersUnion #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – With chants of, “We are the union, the mighty, mighty union – fighting for justice, respect and fair wages,” 30,000 SEIU and UTLA teachers and service workers in Los Angeles went on strike from March 21 to March 23. Los Angeles Unified School District and SEIU’s contract expired in 2020, and, after three years of negotiations hitting dead ends, they decided to strike, and they are determined to win better wages, healthcare and staffing.

Even in the cold rain, they were out in full force with strikes at many of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools. Taking place from 6 a.m. until 10 a.m., the pouring rain didn't stop workers from being out at the picket lines with chants and signs. There was high energy and good spirits from workers, and motorists showed support by honking.

On Tuesday, March 21 from noon until 3 p.m., the unions and community held a kick-off rally downtown, where speakers like Yolanda Reed, an SEIU 99 shop steward said, “It’s high time we stopped being disrespected. The intimidation must stop now. We, you, me are the union – and when we fight, we win.”

Thousands of SEIU and LAUSD workers filled the street with signs and chants of the demands they are determined to win. “Students are not the victims of the strike, we are in solidarity with it,” said one student. LAUSD parent Anna Dehan said, “Today is about respect. Respect is a living wage. For years, public schools exploited essential workers. That ends now.” The rally was a collective effort from not only the workers but from students and parents alike in a show of solidarity for a better future for the workers at LAUSD.

The strike continued for two more days until ending Thursday afternoon. After the picket lines wrapped up on Wednesday, there were rallies at many locations around the city, including outside LAUSD East headquarters in Boyle Heights, with great turnout. On the last day of the strike, a final rally at Los Angeles State Historic Park featured musical performances and striking workers marching in the street. Even on the last day, the workers were full of energy and determination, showing no signs of giving up on their demands.

Now that the strike is over, SEIU and LAUSD have reached a settlement, which includes a 30% wage increase, an increase in salary, and retroactive pay of $4000 to $8000. They will be heading back to work on Friday, March 24. UTLA is still trying to reach an agreement, and if the strikes and rallies are any sign, UTLA is ready to continue fighting. One of UTLA’s key demands is a 20% raise over two years, and LAUSD is unwilling to negotiate more than a 14% raise over three years.

Even though the strike is over, and teachers are back to school, another strike is not out of the question and the workers proved they will not back down. The inspiring SEIU 99/UTLA strike demonstrates how the working class has everything to gain when we stand up and fight back.

#LosAngelesCA #TeachersUnions #UTLAStrike

Los Angeles, CA – At 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday March 21, over 30,000 school workers in the Los Angeles Unified School (LAUSD) including food service workers, custodians, special education assistants and many more job titles will walk off the job on a strike. The workers are members of SEIU Local 99, also known as Education Workers United.

LAUSD and SEIU Local 99 have been in contract negotiations since 2020. After three years of bargaining, they decided to call a strike to show the boss they are serious about winning a contract with significant wage increases, expanded health care benefits and sufficient staffing and resources to keep schools clean and safe.

On Friday, March 17 LAUSD filed charges saying that a strike by the school workers would be against the law. However, those charges were quickly found to not have merit and dismissed. The union members say they are ready to move forward with the strike as planned.

David Huerta is the president of SEIU California and SEIU United Service Workers West. Huerta released the following statement about the strike.

“Workers’ right to take collective action – free from threats or intimidation – is what binds us together as a labor movement. We won’t stand by while a powerful employer like LAUSD bullies and harasses workers to gain leverage at the bargaining table. SEIU members in California – 700,000 strong – stand united with SEIU Local 99 school workers who are striking to demand the district respect their fundamental rights. School workers have our unwavering support as they bargain in good faith for wages that allow them to put food on the table for their own children and for the staffing and support that matters to all students in LAUSD.”

The strike is set to run from 4:30 a.m. Tuesday through the school day on Thursday.

#LosAngelesCA #PeoplesStruggles #strike #LAUSD #Strikes #TeachersUnions

Los Angeles, CA – On March 15, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) and SEIU Local 99, which represents cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, teacher assistants and other education workers, held a massive rally at Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles. The action culminated with the announcement that UTLA and SEIU Local 99 would go on a joint three-day strike, the first in the two unions’ history, from March 21-23.

Enthusiastic delegations of union members arrived from all over the LA area carrying their schools’ banners or posters. Members of Centro CSO, a longtime ally of UTLA, joined the mass rally in solidarity.

Both unions, which together represent roughly 65,000 workers in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), have been in contract negotiations with the district for close to a year and are fighting for their members to be able to survive as inflation rises in Los Angeles. The district, led by superintendent Alberto Carvalho, have only responded with counter offers that show a disregard for the wellbeing of LAUSD’s workers, students and schools. He has also sent out voice messages and emails to parents discouraging the union plans.

In February, 96% of SEIU Local 99’s members in LAUSD voted to authorize a strike. Many of its members are part-timers who make little more than minimum wage and must take on other work in order to support their families. The average salary of LAUSD school workers is $25,000 a year. Local 99 is demanding a 30% raise and $2 per hour equity wage adjustment as well as more full-time hours, staffing, and health benefits.

UTLA – made up of roughly 35,000 teachers, psychiatric social workers and counselors – is demanding a pay increase of 10% for each of the following two years. Currently, two out of three LAUSD teachers can no longer afford to live where they teach, and many educators have considered leaving the profession. The force of Wednesday’s Grand Park rally has already made LAUSD move toward UTLA’s proposals, as the district offered a 14% salary increase over three years during the latest negotiations. UTLA countered by maintaining its position of 20% over two years.

UTLA also wants the district to meet the demands of its Beyond Recovery platform, which addresses the needs of students, their families and underfunded schools. These demands include smaller class sizes, increased support for special education programs, fully staffed schools, more green spaces on campuses, and equitable funding. Superintendent Carvalho, rather than use the district’s $5 billion in reserves to transform public education in LA, has largely ignored the Beyond Recovery platform.

In order to weaken the power of the strike, Carvalho has said that LAUSD will likely close next week while teachers and other LAUSD workers picket. However, UTLA and SEIU Local 99’s members, supported by students and parents, will not be deterred by Carvalho’s word and intend to show the superintendent – who only recently moved to the district from Miami – the power of organized labor in Los Angeles.

#LosAngelesCA #SEIU #teachersStrike #Strikes #TeachersUnions

Tampa, FL – February 19 is the 55th anniversary of 35,000 Florida teachers submitting their resignations in the United States’ first statewide teachers strike. Teachers and administrators took a stand against the Florida legislature worsening schools. This historic action is relevant today with renewed attacks on teachers unions by the DeSantis administration.

The strike

By 1968, Florida had experienced a large population rise with little to no increases in state-level funding. Schools were in poor condition, textbooks were out of date, there were staffing shortages, class sizes were too large, and teachers had to buy their own supplies. Florida teacher pay did not increase to match rising inflation and cost of living. The state’s refusal to increase taxes led to worsening education. The Federal Education Association (FEA) wanted to fix this.

The former Governor Claude Kirk threatened to veto any spending package that increased taxes. In response, tens of thousands of teachers rallied in Orlando on August 14, 1967 to listen to the FEA president speak.

When a special session over the spending package lasted for months, teachers took a stand in February. Public sector strikes are illegal in Florida, so teachers instead submitted resignations. For weeks, half of all teachers in the state were for all intents and purposes on strike.

The statewide strike ended three weeks later in March with some demands met and some losses. The funding package passed without Governor Kirk’s signature. Schools received an estimated $175 million, or about $2000 per classroom. Florida teacher pay went from 22nd in the nation to 13th, a ranking it has never achieved since.

Weeks after the FEA declared the strike over, some counties remained on strike. The strikers demanded the reinstatement of all striking teachers. Hundreds of teachers were not rehired, and dozens had their teaching licenses revoked. The retaliation haunted many teachers.

On September 18, 1968, the Florida supreme court confirmed the right of public sector unions to collective bargaining. The strike also paved the way for teacher retirement and pensions. To quote Don Cameron from his book Educational Conflict in the Sunshine State, giving credit to legislators for these gains “allows Florida’s power structure to obviate FEA’s success, and lets itself off the hook for abandoning education and forcing teachers out of their classrooms.”

Teachers today

Florida teachers today face many of the same issues as 55 years ago. Teacher pay is low and class sizes are high. The Florida legislature’s refusal to raise taxes is a major reason for the state’s low rankings in reading and math comprehension in the nation.

DeSantis’ attacks on teachers are different from Kirk's because of the increased unionization. This year, there is legislation that would decertify a union with less than 60% membership at a workplace. This would end collective bargaining rights for many union workers in Florida. DeSantis admits this is an attempt to break teacher unions.

The wins of the 1968 teacher strike have eroded in the five and a half decades since. Yet teachers have not lost their right to unionize and to bargain collectively. To stop attacks from the Florida legislature and get funding for schools, educators took statewide action. Learning of the 1968 teachers strike serves as inspiration for how to defend worker’s rights and fight for a public sector that serves everyone.

#TampaFL #education #Strikes #TeachersUnions #teacherStrike

Seattle, WA – Educators voted to ratify a tentative agreement with Seattle Public Schools (SPS) on September 19, after a powerful five-day strike. The strike mobilized 90% of union members, supported by parents and students, to picket lines and rallies at their schools. The schools were shut down for five days. The Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators, known as SCORE, was one of the driving forces behind the strike and has grown in membership by 60% since the strike began.

Educators went on strike September 7 after the district tried to make cuts to special education and multilingual programs. These programs “desperately need more funding and resources, not less,” said Fidy Kuo, a multilingual educator at Franklin High School. 41% of students are Asian American, 27% African American, and 15% are Hispanic. Many students at Franklin are immigrants or the children of immigrants and non-native English speakers.

Union members on the picket lines also voiced concerns over unreasonable workloads, wages eaten up by inflation, and the measly eight sick days that teachers are allotted per year. The contract gains in these areas include an agreement that personal days will not be used for regularly shortening the workweek or extending breaks at work.

Caitlin Honig, a social studies teacher at Franklin High School, says she also went on strike for inspirational purposes, “Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions. It is really important to model for our students that collective action works and that we have the power to create change.”

The strike ended after Seattle Education Association union leadership announced that a tentative agreement was reached late on September 12, and a vote to end the strike passed with 57% in favor. Controversially, this violated a vote that union members had on August 31 to not end the strike until members had ratified the contract. Union leaders overrode this vote based on consultation and notification of membership that they did not understand its implications. Association representatives were called to an in-person representative assembly that only 57 out of 107 school were able to attend.

A significant number of union members were confused, and questions were left unanswered. This led to impassioned calls from some rank-and-file teachers to vote no on the tentative agreement.

Ultimately, the representative assembly and the SEA board of directors recommended that the general membership pass the tentative agreements. The agreements contain some collective bargaining wins but fall short of what teachers went on strike over. Each tentative agreement passed with 66% to 82% of the vote.

On the heels of an important strike for Seattle teachers, SCORE is summing up the good and the bad of the strike.

“The last few weeks have been a rollercoaster within SEA,” said instructional assistant Jeff Paul. “For SCORE, despite the union leadership’s attempts to slander us, we are moving forward from this contract fight stronger than before. SCORE had dozens of educators join our ranks in the last few weeks, while hearing thousands of our members express frustration with our top-down, anti-democratic leadership. We believe our platform of building a democratic, rank and file driven union is more popular than ever after this, so we are excited to continue the work of democratizing the union. We can use our power to fight for the schools that our students and members truly deserve.”

#SeattleWA #teachersUnions

Tampa, FL – Members of the Hillsborough County teachers union packed the school board meeting, September 20, to demand a better contract that takes teachers' needs for a livable salary into account. A sea of the union's red shirts confronted the board members and the county's superintendent, who with faux concern, offered nothing but the platitude that he “heard” teachers’ concerns.

The crisis could not have been clearer to anyone with eyes and ears, as union members shared stories not just of having to work second jobs for pennies, but unsafe conditions for students. One teacher said that because of understaffing due to a lack of funding, students were left without school counselors, wandering the campus, vaping in bathrooms, fighting and wandering off campus. Teachers emphasized to the school board that it was impossible to be pro-student and anti-teacher. School officials even suggested a plan to train high school students in technical repair and assign them to repair district computers and electronics, owing to a lack of adequate staff.

Eager to pretend that the crisis is over, public officials promulgated a story in the local press claiming the school staffing crisis was over. Several teachers referenced this absurd bald-faced lie, and how outrageous it is to ask teachers to disbelieve their own experiences working at severely understaffed schools.

Teacher’s demands are reasonable, with the same costs as district proposal. Teachers need a competitive wage that precludes them from having to work two or more jobs, sometimes working 21 or more hours additionally; adequate staffing that allows students to be monitored and kept safe; and working conditions that allow for learning, with often classrooms of 40-plus students and in sweltering temperatures over 90 degrees F in classrooms at times.

All this occurs in the backdrop of Florida siphoning over $1 billion this coming fiscal year from public education toward private school vouchers. Dismantling public education has long been a project of reactionaries in government like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who would like an educational system that is not unionized, and which allows greater latitude to discriminate and for racist, homophobic curricula.

The increase in private school vouchers has outpaced increases in public school funding, and the aid comes directly from state and local aid to schools, meaning that districts are more reliant on local funding, contributing to the crisis.

Residents of Tampa Bay have already been fighting for rent controls and housing aid, a people’s budget that prioritizes people not profit, but, much like Tampa city council, school officials and the school board are all too ready to throw up their hands and claim that there’s nothing they can do to adequately fund the needs of those they supposedly serve.

Teachers deserve their contract proposals met, better conditions, and respect for their years of service. With the deterioration of conditions in the school system and no sign of a slowdown in the explosion of rent costs, the need for a united front that challenges the status quo has never been clearer.

#TampaFL #teachers #union #TeachersUnions

Chicago, IL – Teaching artists and school office staff at Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) have voted to join the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), June 3. Three office staff voted to join the union, and later in the day, part-time arts teachers – who make up the backbone of the school’s programs in the visual arts, music, theater, dance and creative writing conservatories voted 75% (41 yes to 14 no ) to join the union.

“It’s a joy and an honor to welcome these new members into the CTU family,” said CTU President Jesse Sharkey. “This school doesn’t run without its office staff and its teaching artists, and this vote is their embrace of organizing in unity to improve working conditions for educators and learning conditions for ChiArts students.”

Stagnant wages, lack of job security and basic rights fueled the push by teaching artists to join the union, the same way those conditions pushed full-time educators to join the CTU in 2018. Since that time, with the first negotiated contract under their belt, ChiArts CTU members have seen wages and working conditions improve, school staff stabilize and educators given a voice at the table.

By joining the union, the school’s teaching artists and main office staff seek the same basic rights and valued voice as their union colleagues at the school.

The vote came despite relentless pressure from management to reject unionizing and joining the CTU.

“I feel a great sense of pride and joy in being a part of this effort with my colleagues,” said Patrick Lentz, visual arts department assistant and teaching artist. “It has been really enjoyable building relationships and connecting with one another. What we have created in terms of solidarity across our conservatories and school is powerful. No amount of anti-union letters can make a dent in the sense of community that has come out of our organizing.”

ChiArts is a CPS “contract” school. Similar to charter schools, contract schools are publicly-funded but privately-run institutions. ChiArts receives funding from CPS, along with private donations, and admits public school students into its intensive visual and performing arts program. But, like charters, the school is governed by a separate administration, has its own board, and operates independently.

The teaching artists are essential to ChiArts mission to provide creative programming for budding student artists. While the school’s full-time educators have had job security and other union protections since 2018, until today, the school’s artist teachers could be fired with impunity.

Rounds of unilateral decisions from management and chronic job insecurity spurred the organizing drive by ChiArts teaching artists. Without union protections, these educators, who are critical to the ChiArts mission, could be fired for no reason, regardless of their value to the school community. Workers also viewed unionizing as a fundamental way of supporting students’ agency and growth going forward.

“As an alumni of ChiArts, I want to provide the best education to the students – and that's not possible if I, as a teacher, am not being treated fairly,” said music teaching artist Kurt Shelby. “I can't give the students what they need if I don't have what I need. This union effort and the sense of community that has been built has restored my hope for the future.”

#ChicagoIL #PeoplesStruggles #ChicagoTeachersUnion #TeachersUnions

“Florida State University wants GAs basically to come to work, be overworked, underpaid and just die on their own dime and do nothing about it. There are a lot of things on this campus that are impacting GA safety in particular,” said Jordan Lenchitz, grievance officer for GAU. Lenchitz went on to explain how COVID-19 threatened both teachers’ livelihoods and ability to financially support themselves. “We’re here today to let the university know that we’re not going to go quietly, and we’re not going to die and pay for our own funerals, because they don’t pay us enough for that anyway.”

Organizing chair for GAU, Jordan Scott, elaborated on the conditions FSU students and faculty have been facing. “With the majority of graduate workers making between $16,000 and $25,000 annually, we cannot afford to subsidize Florida State University’s response, or lack thereof to the crisis.” He said they wanted to unite other organizations on FSU’s campus to fight for better conditions within the pandemic.

“We are currently building relationships with different student organizations including but not limited to Students for a Democratic Society and an array of international students’ organizations on campus, and the staff and faculty unions. The best thing that anyone can do is show up to the impact bargaining. Our first impact bargaining meeting. There will be a hybrid option. The best way to hear about any updates is by following us on social media Twitter @fsu_gau, Facebook facebook.com/fsugau/ or on Instagram at fsugau.”

Some of GAU’s demands include workplace modifications for disabled workers, compensation for in-patient medical costs, and paid sick leave when a graduate worker is exposed to COVID-19.

GAU members say they will keep fighting for a successful bargaining and to hold FSU accountable for its role in allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to spread.

Jordan Lenchitz also criticized FSU for attempting to hold in-person meetings for their negotiations when several members from GAU had contracted COVID-19. He urged people to come support them at their bargaining meeting. “People are welcome to come and get involved. FSU’s entire team is six people, and so, if we can bring out 50 people, we can outnumber them nine to one.”

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU #FloridaStateUniversityFSU #TeachersUnions #COVID19

Minneapolis, MN – On Sunday evening, March 27, Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT) Presidents Greta Callahan and Shaun Laden announced that both teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) had ratified their new contracts. Laden is the president of the education support professionals’ local, and Callahan is the president of the teachers’ local of MFT.

Tentative agreements were reached in both locals early on Friday, March 25. Voting took place throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. The agreements were ratified with 75.7% of the Teacher Chapter and 79.9% of the ESP Chapter voting to ratify the contract.

Teachers and ESPs returned to work Monday morning for a transition day to prep before students return on Tuesday, March 29. The educators had been on strike since March 8 and are returning to classrooms 21 days later. The strike resulted in 14 school days where the schools were closed.

According to MFT the strike resulted in significant increases to the contract from the last offer they had received before beginning the strike. They raised starting wages for ESPs to $23.91 for about 80% of ESPs as well as winning additional days and hours for ESPs in the new contract. They won language to exempt oppressed nationality teachers from layoffs. They won class size caps in the teachers’ contract as well as increases to mental health supports including a social worker in every building, additional specialists, and pay increases for those in adult education and licensed staff.

When the tentative agreement was reached emotions appeared mixed among the educators, with some calling for a no vote and a continuation of the strike and others saying they had won all that they could for now and it was time to return to work and continue to build the union going forward to fight for their demands. In the end the 75.7% and 79.9% votes mean that both contracts were ratified.

On Monday morning educators returned to their schools for the first time since March 7. At Roosevelt High School in South Minneapolis a large group of educators marched into school together chanting “MFT For kids!” as they returned to their workplace.

When MFT publicly announced the contract ratification in their public statement they said, “We held the line for 14 days and we won for our students, schools and each other! Remember that this is a movement and not a moment! There is power in our union.”

While not every educator agreed that it was time to end the strike, the vote to ratify tuned out to be an overwhelming one. The educators did not win everything they demanded but they went on strike after an unacceptable offer that they did not agree to, and by striking they pushed Minneapolis Public Schools significantly beyond what they had previously offered, winning more because they went on strike.

In Chicago, in 2012, the Chicago Teachers Union had its first strike in recent history. Since then, they have gone on strike four more times to continue to build power and improve conditions for educators and have organized many charter schools in the area to join their union.

In Saint Paul, Minnesota, educators went on strike in 2020 immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the schools and ended their strike early. This year, those same Saint Paul educators again built for a potential strike and then settled their contract right before the strike deadline with major wins in the new agreement. They were able to make these gains because the Saint Paul Public Schools knew that they were able to strike and were serious. Now Minneapolis Public Schools and MFT members know that going forward, MFT is a union that can and will strike for the educators and students.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #TeachersUnions #MinneapolisFederationOfTeachersMFT

“Florida State University wants GAs basically to come to work, be overworked, underpaid and just die on their own dime and do nothing about it. There are a lot of things on this campus that are impacting GA safety in particular,” said Jordan Lenchitz, grievance officer for GAU. Lenchitz went on to explain how COVID-19 threatened both teachers’ livelihoods and ability to financially support themselves. “We’re here today to let the university know that we’re not going to go quietly, and we’re not going to die and pay for our own funerals, because they don’t pay us enough for that anyway.”

Organizing chair for GAU, Jordan Scott, elaborated on the conditions FSU students and faculty have been facing. “With the majority of graduate workers making between $16,000 and $25,000 annually, we cannot afford to subsidize Florida State University’s response, or lack thereof to the crisis.” He said they wanted to unite other organizations on FSU’s campus to fight for better conditions within the pandemic.

“We are currently building relationships with different student organizations including but not

limited to Students for a Democratic Society and an array of international students’ organizations on campus, and the staff and faculty unions. The best thing that anyone can do is show up to the impact bargaining. Our first impact bargaining meeting. There will be a hybrid option. The best way to hear about any updates is by following us on social media Twitter @fsu_gau, Facebook facebook.com/fsugau/ or on Instagram at fsugau.”

Some of GAU’s demands include workplace modifications for disabled workers, compensation for in-patient medical costs, and paid sick leave when a graduate worker is exposed to COVID-19.

GAU members say they will keep fighting for a successful bargaining and to hold FSU accountable for its role in allowing the COVID-19 pandemic to spread.

Jordan Lenchitz also criticized FSU for attempting to hold in-person meetings for their negotiations when several members from GAU had contracted COVID-19. He urged people to come support them at their bargaining meeting. “People are welcome to come and get involved. FSU’s entire team is six people, and so, if we can bring out 50 people, we can outnumber them nine to one.”

#TallahasseeFL #PeoplesStruggles #PublicSectorUnions #GraduateAssistantsUnionGAU #FloridaStateUniversityFSU #TeachersUnions #FSUGAU

Minneapolis, MN – Early on Friday, March 25, the striking Minneapolis teachers and education support professionals reached tentative agreements that will be voted on by union members. They have been on strike since Tuesday, March 8.

Over the almost three-week strike, the educators made major progress on several of their key demands. A big issue of the strike was improving the conditions of education support professionals (ESPs) who are largely oppressed nationality workers and make poverty wages. Details of the final agreement have not yet been announced but in the previous “last, best and final offer” from the school district they had already moved the district up by thousands of dollars a year for the ESPs to around $33,000 a year. The educators were holding the line for ESPs to reach a minimum of a $35,000 a year wage for ESPs at the bottom of the scale. While $35,000 a year is still far too low according to the union, it would represent a life changing increase for the ESPs at the bottom.

At the same time, the teachers had set 3% per year as a bottom line on across-the-board raises, with additional raises in the form of step increases. As of Monday, March 24, the school district was offering the teachers a package that would include 5% and 7% over a two-year contract with step increases factored in.

The educators also had demands for smaller class sizes with caps on maximum size, as well as increased mental health supports for students.

More details on the tentative agreement are expected in coming days with a vote by the members soon to follow. If the vote passes it will end the strike.

In the last week of the strike, community, student, parent and labor support actions had ticked up to a higher level of intensity. Notably, a group of Minneapolis students began an occupation of the Davis Center, where Minneapolis Public Schools office is located, and they were still present on Friday morning as the tentative agreement was announced. The occupation included a community meal served by the students in the building on Thursday night.

Community support activity for the educators’ strike was high throughout and included many actions, protests, support events and marches in support of the educators. Support for the educators ‘strike and their demands stayed high among community members and parents the whole way through.

The educators maintained strong picket lines throughout and over 95% of educators honored the strike for all 18 days. The educators appear stronger than ever before and ready to continue fighting for educators and students going forward.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #strike #Strikes #TeachersUnions #MFT

Minneapolis, MN – Around 40 people gathered in Dinkytown, off the intersection of 15th Avenue and 4th Street to hold a speak-out in support of striking Minneapolis educators on Saturday, March 19. The action kicked off with a round of chants, as onlookers passed by, some even joining the protest, and cars honked their horns in support, and speakers made their way to the mic.

Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) member and former Minneapolis Public Schools student, Gillian Rath, said, “being a schoolteacher is one of the most demanding jobs I can think of.”

Rath continued, “I had teachers who would pay for school materials out-of-pocket and talk with me when I needed advice. That’s not uncommon for teachers to do. I’m sure everyone here can think of one teacher they had that did things like that for them.” She ended her speech by demanding, “so why doesn’t the district provide teachers with the necessary wages and resources?”

Ana Vasquez, an educator and the Second Vice-President of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59’s teacher chapter, and Loretta Van Pelt, a rank-and-file member of MFT and organizer with Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar, both detailed what educators were striking for, showing that it’s not just a fight against cuts in the moment, but a fight against a long ongoing attack on public education and on the working class.

Vasquez led the demonstrators in reading aloud MFT’s demands for Safe and Stable Schools, including a living wage and professional time for educational support professionals, recruitment and retention of educators of color, smaller class sizes and more mental health supports for students, and competitive pay to retain licensed educators.

Olivia Crull, a member of SDS and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization made clear to students, “We have to hold the line with [MFT], so that they can win everything that educators and students in this city deserve.” Crull continued, “Now I love the word solidarity, but I want to challenge us all to go beyond that. Students shouldn’t just be in solidarity with workers, we should see their fight as our fight. We should see ourselves as the future working class.”

Closing out the action, David Gilbert-Pederson, an organizer with AFSCME 3800 and Minnesota Workers United, and who is currently on release to MFT 59 to lead up their strike solidarity work, detailed how much the educators he had did for him, and how important it is to stand with them in this moment. Gilbert-Pederson also made the connection of how MFT is leading a fight for the whole working class.

The action was initiated by Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Minnesota, and co-sponsored by UMN Students for Climate Justice, UMN Young Democratic Socialists of America, and the College Democrats.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes #TeachersUnions #UNMStudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #MinnesotaFederationOfTeachers

Minneapolis, MN – At least 14 unions from Minnesota held a rally in support of the striking Minneapolis educators, March 20. The rally was organized by the Minnesota Workers United (MWU) Strike Support Committee, which is the sanctioned labor and community strike support committee of the Minneapolis educators’ strike.

12 unions or labor organizations were listed on the event as cohosts to the MWU event, which included MWU, AFSCME Locals 3800, 2822 and 3937, CWA Local 7250, the Minnesota Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare MN, MN Bookstore Workers United, MACE, UFCW 1189, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, and the MN AFL-CIO. More unions were reported to have endorsed the events along with the list of cohosts on the event.

Around 300 union members and elected leaders attended the rally which began in the parking lot of Shiloh Temple, across the street from the Davis Center where the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) office is located. The rally then marched, circling the two city blocks surrounding the Davis Center.

At the Davis Center the unions delivered a scroll of the educators' demands at the front door. Theatrics were significant as a union member dressed costume of a town crier read the demands from a large scroll and attempted to be let into the building before placing the scroll in the door handles of the building while the crowd watched and cheered.

Many unions and community members spoke in support of the educators’ demands and called on MPS to meet the educators’ demands for safe and stable schools.

Later, at 9 p.m. that night, the educators stated that they had received a fourth “last, best and final” offer from MPS in which MPS moved some on raises for education support professionals, but the union says that the movement did not meet the needs to consider settling the contract and that MPS will need to move further.

As of Monday, March 21, the strike has now entered its 14th day and workers remain solidly committed to winning the demands that meet the needs of their educators and students and that will allow for safe and stable schools. The educators are on strike for significant pay raises for education support professionals (ESPs) to have a living wage, for smaller class sizes, and mental health supports for students, among other demands. The ESPs are predominantly oppressed nationality low-wage workers. The union is demanding a living wage for the ESPs in which no ESP make less than $35,000 a year.

Picket lines resumed at 7:30 Monday morning at Minneapolis schools, which remain closed for the strike and according to MPS’s own data, 95% of the educators continue to honor the strike.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes #TeachersUnions #MinnesotaWorkersUnited #MinneapolisFederationOfTeachers

Minneapolis, MN – On March 17 thousands of striking educators with MFT 59 and community members rallied on both sides of Lake Street, stretched out for about a mile, in Minneapolis in a mega picket outside Adult Education South and Transition Plus at the MPS Center for Adult Learning. After two hours of enthusiastic picketing and dancing, educators from other metro cities got on the MFT sound truck to send messages of solidarity to strikers.

Adi Penugonda, a high school social studies teacher and a member of Dakota County United Educators, started off the program, “Our message today is clear! Minneapolis educators do not stand alone. The underfunding of classrooms, the gutting of public schools and the exploitation of ESPs [education support professionals] and support staff is something all of us see every day, whether we work in South Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Richfield, Bloomington or Apple Valley.”

One of the first speakers was Jeff Garcia, who teaches sixth grade special education at Parkway Montessori Middle School in Saint Paul. The Saint Paul Federation of Educators went on strike two years ago and this year settled their contract and won a substantial wage increase for ESPs and a cap on class sizes. Garcia gave the strikers a message of solidarity and told them that they would win like their sibling district across the Mississippi.

Jon Plotz addressed the crowd next. Plotz is a language arts teacher at Anoka High School, a negotiator for his union – Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota Local 7007 – and a parent of a Minneapolis Waite Park Elementary student. He called out to educators, “We stand with MFT because we know that this is not just a fight for district priorities, it’s a fight for state priorities. In 1970, because MFT went on strike, you forced legislators to change the labor laws and expanded collective bargaining rights in our whole state. In 1970, because MFT went on strike, you forced legislators to change state education funding forever and helped inspire the ‘Minnesota Miracle’ of significant state investment in our children’s education. And today, in 2022, MFT is forcing state legislators to see the results of not fully funding our schools, so that those legislators will allocate some of their $9 billion surplus to close the unfunded mandate gaps and actually help all our kids the way they deserve!”

Mari Hernandez, a former Minneapolis Public Schools ESP also spoke. Hernandez is currently an American Indian Education specialist for the Elk River School District. She is also a member of MIRAC (MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee) which organized a car caravan last weekend to show solidarity from the Latinx community with the teachers on strike. She encouraged strikers to hold strong, “This strike is the most important lesson teachers can instill in their students: To stand up for yourselves! To know your worth! To know your power! And when the boss tells you no, stand up! Fight back!”

Speakers also included Jeff Garcia, a special education with Saint Paul Federation of Educators, Cory Cochrane, a Richfield social studies teacher, and Anne Keirstead, a math teacher at Irondale High School.

The next MFT action will be on Friday at the Governor’s mansion to pressure Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to use the state surplus to fund public education.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes #TeachersUnions #MinneapolisTeachersFederationMFT