Metro Detroit Labor Day March – Sept 1
This upcoming Labor Day, Monday September 1, 2025 AFT Executive Vice President Evelyn DeJesus will be in Detroit to help kick off our program! We NEED you to turn out and show we are ready to fight and WIN for workers. We need all members to meet us at 7:30am at the corner of Sixth St. and Michigan Ave (marked with a green X below, look for AFT Michigan flags and members in blue shirts).
We will be holding a short program and distributing t-shirts before step-off. We look forward to celebrating our wins as a Labor movement, see you all Monday September 1!
This Labor Day, Stand Up for What Workers Deserve
Workers built this country, and workers deserve an economy, a government and a country for the people, not the billionaires. In the streets and on the shop floor, in union halls and the halls of Congress, this Labor Day we’re going to show the billionaires who we are and how we fight. Find an event near you to join in the fight.
AFT Michigan Fall Leadership Summit – September 27
AFT Michigan’s Fall Leadership Summit will take place on September 27th, 8:30am-3:30 PM, at Fairlane South, UM-Dearborn. We’ll be joined by Todd Wolfson, AAUP President, to discuss partnering for power in our workplaces. There will be three tracks to select from when registering:
1. Leadership Team Planning
The Leadership Team Planning track consists of an AM constituency committee meeting (Higher Ed, Healthcare, and PreK-12) and a PM session focused on setting goals and priorities for the upcoming year. Local teams will have an opportunity to meet with AFT Michigan staff specialists and hear about resources and tools as well as ask questions to support their local’s planning.
Leaders should register for this track if they are a local president, vice president, data administrator, contract enforcement coordinator, political coordinator, executive board member, or other local officer.
2. Workplace Leader Skill Building
Our Workplace Leader Skills Building track is for department stewards, building reps, and local activists ready to dive into using lists and maps to organize colleagues, understanding effective tools for communication at the workplace, and becoming skilled at the 1:1 organizing conversation.
We’re excited to offer this 1-day version of our popular Union Building Institute (UBI). This is a great opportunity to develop leaders at your locals who are excited about building a stronger union starting at their workplaces! We recommend sending a group of workplace leaders to go through this track together.
3. AFT Michigan’s Retiree Network
Activists never retire! AFT Michigan’s Retiree Network will be holding their September meeting at Leadership Summit. Retirees are welcome to join us for breakfast starting at 8:30 with the general retiree network meeting starting at 10:40 AM and lunch afterwards!
If you have any questions about the Fall Leadership Summit, please contact your Field Rep or Meenakshi Mukherjee (mmukherjee@aftmichigan.org). Learn more and Register on aftmichigan.org/events.
Order AFT New Member Organizing Materials
AFT members unite to fight for real solutions because we understand that when we band together at work and in our communities, we can create a better life for all. Together, we’re fighting the extremists who want to destroy public education, dismantle our democracy, defund public services, decimate healthcare and demonize the vulnerable—and we’re standing up to the privatizers who are more concerned about profits than people.
To help you continue growing and gaining power, we’ve refreshed our organizing materials. Order today at go.aft.org/AFTmaterials.
Materials are available year-round. Whenever you are planning an organizing push, union event or other mobilizing opportunity, you can select the resources you need, including organizing brochures that show prospective members how to amplify their voice, a Value of Belonging poster that highlights our accomplishments, pocket calendars, and professional learning options and benefits brochures that reinforce our day-to-day support for our members.
Place your order and spread the word: We’re creating a better life for all!
AFT Michigan Professional Development Workshop
See and Teach Me
September 13, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
2661 E. Jefferson – Detroit, MI 48207
This in-service is designed to support educators through research and strategies to move the learning environment to become more humane, where students can thrive both academically and socially-emotionally.
Participants will receive 6 SCECHs after completion.
Click here to register
Contribute to the AFT Michigan PAC Today
AFT Michigan fights for our members, students, patients 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!
In solidarity,
Terrence Martin
President
