Detroit Labor Day March & AFT Michigan Picnic – September 4
The Detroit Labor Day March is back this year. AFT Michigan members will be part of Division 3, lining up on Porter, between Trumbull and Rosa Parks.
Following the march, AFT Michigan members and families are invited to come by the AFT Michigan office at 2661 E. Jefferson for a picnic, 11am-1pm. Hot dogs, tunes, and good conversation will be provided!
Click Here for our Labor Day Plan
Support EMUFT
Bargaining is at a tough spot at EMUFT. The administration is pushing for a 2 year probation for part time lecturers where they have never had that before, a hard cap on in potential workloads for part timers, taking away paid parking for all lecturers, and proposing significant health increases without a raise in pay to make up for these costs.
EMUFT is asking supporters to join them for informational picketing Mon-Wed this week between 10:30 am and 2:30 pm:
- Monday, August 28 – outside of Pray-Harold
- Tuesday, August 29 – outside of Mark Jefferson (Science Complex)
- Wednesday, August 30 – outside of the Student Center.
Use this Google form to RSVP: https://forms.gle/ooeYfac8zzR4n5Xa8
Detroit Teachers and UM Grads Win New Contracts
Congratulations to the members of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, AFT 231, and the Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT 3550, on winning strong new contracts. DFT members will see a 6% raise, increased longevity pay, improved language around master teachers, and contractual guarantees for newer members (which had been prohibited by the previous Legislature) in this one-year contract. GEO members gain a 20% raise over three years, transitional funding for instructors facing abusive workplace situations, as well as improvements to healthcare and parental leave.
Great work by the local leaders and our staff who helped with these negotiations. And thank you to Kirsten Herold, AFT Michigan Secretary-Treasurer and LEO President, and David Hecker, immediate past president of AFT Michigan, who put in a tremendous amount of effort over the course of the GEO strike to help get this agreement.
FNTFO Takes Professional Development to Crazy Fun Levels
Last Monday, during Welcome Week at Ferris State University, FNTFO 6528, the union of non-tenure track instructors, hosted the first in a series of professional development sessions with a focus on mental health and well being. The local bargained into their contract professional development funds that they were able to use to bring well-being strategist Nikhol Atkins, a former AFT Michigan staff member and Ferris alum, along with actress & trainer Ce’Ann Yates, to conduct the workshop. The focus was on how to use “improv” as a way to help build confidence, develop creativity and the ability to generate new ideas, develop teamwork and adaptability as well as assist with listening skills and being present. Not only did local activists learn great skills to use in their union work but also ideas to bring to their classrooms. As an added bonus, participants had a blast (if you see an FNTFO leader, ask them to tell the story of “Lily Loves Licorice” to find out just how much fun they had).
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!
Professional Development
AFT Michigan Professional Development Workshop
Strategies for Enhancing Learning Beyond Classroom Management
September 9, 2023
Virtual Workshop
8:30 am – 4:00 pm
This virtual workshop will look at strategies for classroom management that move away from the practices of a propensity to control the minds, hearts and bodies of students.
The goal is for educators to rethink and understand what highly effective classroom management is, where students want to be and learning is taking place.
Click Here to register.
Share My Lesson Back-to-School Resources
There’s a special kind of exhilaration that comes with the back-to-school season. It’s a dizzying array of freshly sharpened pencils, the crisp pages of unmarked notebooks, the hopeful smiles of new faces and, yes, a hearty dash of organized chaos. Thankfully, Share My Lesson is here to make sure this annual roller-coaster ride is less daunting and more thrilling, even for educators.
Check out the massive collection of SML resources covering everything from classroom management to for-credit professional development webinars to resources and ideas for new teachers.
Real Solutions for Kids and Communities
The AFT is also launching a new campaign: Real Solutions for Kids and Communities. This year long campaign seeks to reject the toxic attacks against public education in favor of working to strengthen public schools, making real solutions for kids a national priority.
Sign up for campaign updates and opportunities to get involved.
Join us in our mission to have a positive impact on children’s lives. Discover various ways to get involved, share and learn from success stories about effective programs in communities nationwide, and find more information on great things happening in public schools.
Read the one pager informational sheet here.
Latina/o Workers Leadership Institute – September 21-23, 2023
The Latina/o Worker Leadership Institute invites all workers, union or non-union, and activists from allied organizations to share ideas and grow skills for responding to the challenges facing Latina/o working persons and learn about Latina/o culture. We welcome participants from all genders and all cultural or ethnic backgrounds. With nine workshops plus a new program for kids, the Latina/o Workers Leadership Institute offers something for everyone.
Click here for more information and to register.
In solidarity,
Terrence Martin
President
