Battle Ground, WA – Teachers, who had voted to continue striking despite a court order to return to work, made major gains and won a strong contract, Sept. 16. The Battle Ground Education Association (BGEA) had been on strike since August 21. The strike came after the school district’s refusal to properly allocate state funding for teachers’ salaries.

Tucson, AZ – Outraged educators took to the streets in both Phoenix and Tucson Sept. 5 to protest the removal of Proposition 207 from the November ballot. The actions took place at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce in Phoenix and at Chamber members Tucson Electrical Power (TEP) and Wells Fargo in Tucson. These places were targets because it was the Chamber of Commerce that funded and filed the lawsuit against the InvestInEd ballot initiative that would have raised income taxes on the top 0.07% of Arizonans, some 15,000 people, and generated an estimated $690 million. This amount would provide a significant boost to missing $1.1 billion from public schools over the ten years.

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of enthusiastic union members united for a great march and rally in the heart of the historical Wilmington Chicano community, Sept 3.

LA teachers take strike authorization vote

Los Angeles, CA – The featured speaker at this year’s commemoration of the historic 1970 Chicano Moratorium against the War was United Teachers of LA (UTLA) chapter chair at Marvin Avenue Elementary School and longtime Centro CSO member Lupe Torres.

Los Angeles, CA – Families, union members, teachers, activists and students filled the house at local Chicano art center, Self Help Graphics, Aug. 29, to commemorate the 48th anniversary of the Chicano Moratorium Against the War. The program honored the historic Aug. 29, 1970 Chicano Moratorium, where over 30,000 Chicanos marched in East LA to protest the high casualty rate of Chicanos in the Vietnam War. Well-known journalist Ruben Salazar was killed by a n LA sheriff deputy during the protests.

Milwaukee, WI – On Thursday night, May 24, Alex Brower, the president of Substitute Teachers’ Union for Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), ended his 21-day hunger strike with a victory. Brower was fasting to win health care benefits for full-time substitute teachers. Before now, subs received their hourly pay and nothing more; previously granted benefits for subs were stolen by Scott Walker in 2011. Through his fast, Brower says he was “simply embodying the suffering that full-time subs endure every day they are forced to work without basic benefits.”

Phoenix, AZ – The historic statewide educator walkout entered its third day Monday, April 30. Tens of thousands filled the capitol once again in order to talk with legislators and pressure Governor Ducey to fully fund public schools.

Preparations underway for strike on May 1

San Juan, Puerto Rico – On April 27, police pepper sprayed teachers in a protest led by the Puerto Rican Teachers Federation (FMPR) outside the Department of Education. The teachers were protesting the government’s plan to close hundreds of public schools as part of a massive ‘education reform’ plan to privatize public education.

Phoenix, AZ – A red tidal wave is washing over downtown Phoenix, April 26, as the #RedForEd movement takes its demands to Governor Ducey and the Republican-dominated legislature. A week ago, 78% of the 57,000 educators who voted chose to walk out as a response to the lack of a realistic proposal from Ducey. His proposal, what he called last night his “final offer” uses a lot of unverified projections and moving monies from important programs such as health care and funds for the disabled and veterans.

Tucson, AZ – Last Thursday, April 12, Arizona Republican Governor Doug Ducey presented his proposal for salary raises to the movement of educators called Arizona Educators United (AEU). It did not take long for teachers and educational support professionals to reject the proposal based on suspicions of a lack of new funding streams and the lack of recognition for classified support staff.