Teachers at the three schools who are part of the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (WEOC) voted to form the Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium Federation of Teachers (WEOCFT) last week by a vote of 39-11.
WEOCFT is affiliated with AFT Michigan/AFT/AFL-CIO and includes around 75 teachers and allied professionals from three schools: the Early College Alliance (ECA) at Eastern Michigan University, the Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education (WAVE), and the Washtenaw International High School and Middle Academy (WIHI/WIMA).
“Winning recognition for the WEOC Federation of Teachers is a very hopeful moment,” said Jayanthi Reddy, a teacher at ECA. “We have been working hard to build solidarity between our different programs, and to now formalize the structure to collectively bargain a contract that works for all of us is incredibly exciting.”
“We look forward to strengthening our collaboration with WEOC to ensure fair wages, improved working conditions, and a stronger voice for teachers and student support team members in decision-making processes so all students continue to receive a high-quality education,” said Kyrsten Persells, a teacher at WIHI/WIMA.
