In Uncategorized

EMU AAUP-AFT Picket This Friday

Join with the AAUP-AFT chapter at Eastern Michigan University at an informational picket, Friday, August 26 as they fight for a new contract.  The picket begins at 10 a.m. in front of Best and Sellers Halls on the EMU campus.  The administration’s proposal includes sharp increases in healthcare costs and low annual raises. They have rejected union proposals that advance diversity, equity and inclusion, that improve workload and assure shared governance.  EMU AAUP-AFT is  fighting for a better university, better working conditions and a better educational experience for students.

Celebrate Labor Day with AFT Michigan – Monday, September 5

While there’s no Metro Detroit AFL-CIO Labor Day Parade this year, we invite AFT Michigan members and families to join us for a fun and informal Labor Day BBQ at our office in Detroit.

Student Debt Clinic – Thursday, August 25 @ 5 PM

More than 45 million people have student debt and many of us are struggling with this burden. The AFT Student Debt Clinic program provides information about free federal programs that may help reduce the burden of this debt, while also highlighting the role that our union can play in addressing problems both within the workplace and in our communities.

Student Debt Clinics provide crucial information and resources to help AFT members take advantage of the temporary expansion of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program before the expansion period ends on 10/31/22. Millions of Americans have been denied PSLF since 2007 and this expansion period is to make up for those who’ve been rejected or who never applied for it in the first place.

Join AFT Michigan for a Student Debt Clinic webinar on

Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 5:00-6:30pm!  

To register: please visit https://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP and select “MICHIGAN: AFT-Michigan *WEBINAR* 5 PM 08/25/2022” in the dropdown.  Select your local name or # (You can type in parts of it and it will auto-fill), fill in the brief questionnaire, and hit “submit.”

We’ll be hosting another Debt Clinic September 22, that you’ll find at the same link. Questions?  Reach out to Meenakshi Mukherjee mmukherjee@aftmichigan.org

Educators for Whitmer Statewide Call with Special Guest Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist!

Join Team Whitmer on August 23rd at 5:00 PM for a statewide Educators for Whitmer call. This is a great time to get an update from the campaign on what the governor has been doing, how to get more connected to the campaign and how you can help get Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist re-elected! Please come, and bring 3 friends with you! We will be joined by special guest Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist as well! Sign up to participate here. The Zoom will be sent to everyone who RSVPs, so please keep an eye on your inbox and spam (just in case).

Protecting Reproductive Rights

Following the AFT Michigan Administrative Board voting to support the Reproductive Rights ballot initiative and the ballot committee filing a record number of signatures with the state, my August Michigan Advance column is about the importance of this initiative passing.

“Teacher Wage Penalty” Increases

Michigan teachers earn 18.4% less than other college graduates, according to a study by the Economic Policy Institute. Nationally, the number is 23.5%, a record high, jumping from 6.1% in 1996.  Even when looking at total compensation, including benefits, the national teacher penalty is 14.2%, also the worst ever reported.  In case anyone you know is wondering why the number of students in schools of education has plummeted. 

Starbucks Found Guilty of Violating Labor Law

The National Labor Relations Board has ordered Starbucks to reinstate with back pay the “Memphis Seven” fired for union organizing.  These workers were fired for taking part in an in-store interview with a local television station after workers at the store voted in favor of unionizing. Workers United, affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, has unionized more than 200 Starbucks stores since December 2021, a remarkable surge of organizing.  

Register for the Latina/o Worker Leadership Institute @ UM-Dearborn – September 16-18, 2022 

The UM-Dearborn Labor Studies Latina/o Workers Leadership Institute invites all workers, from all cultural or ethnic backgrounds, union or non-union, and activists from allied organizations to share ideas and grow skills for responding to the challenges facing working people.

https://clcs.umd.umich.edu/upcoming-events/2022-latinao-worker-leadership-institute

Contribute to the AFT Michigan PAC Today

AFT Michigan fights for our members, students and communities all year round and we need your help. Can you donate $1 a week to aid us in this fight? Please visit the AFT Michigan website to contribute and make a big difference in protecting public education and building a better Michigan future! 

Detroit Lions Union Day Event

The Lions are pleased to offer local union members special savings off of the Lions Game on 11/6 vs the Green Bay Packers! Each ticket will include access to a pregame tailgate inside of the Comerica Gridiron Club in Ford Field! For the tailgate you will receive one ticket that can be redeemed for a food item and one ticket that can be redeemed for a drink.

Tickets can be purchased at this link: https://fevo.me/union2022

Professional Development

Back-to-School Webinars

If you’re looking for new ideas on civic education, literacy, social emotional learning or general teaching strategies, be sure to check out these 45 free, for-credit webinars.

Kick Off the New School Year with Lead4Change

Learn how more than 16,000 teachers and over 2 million students are using Lead4Change, a FREE Leadership curriculum with a community service framework for students in grades 6-12.

Tips and Templates for New Teachers

Getting ready for the new school year is an especially hectic period. Save time with these lesson plan ideas and helpful guidance to keep things sane and manageable as you head back to school.

In solidarity

David Hecker

President

Recent Posts