EMU Unions Push for Campus Safety
EMUFT Local 9102, (representing all non-tenure faculty) and the Eastern Michigan University AAUP union (representing tenured and tenure track faculty) joined forces to protest the confusing and less than transparent COVID-19 mandates and protocols announced by the EMU administration. In a joint statement covered by MLive and other news media, EMUFT and EMU-AAUP called for a full campus-wide vaccination mandate for all students, faculty and staff. Currently only students are under a mandate. The faculty unions are asking the university for verification of students’ proof of vaccination and notification of any classroom exposure to COVID-19. The faculty unions also want the ability to teach solely online without losing wages.
Daric Thorne, president of EMUFT told MLive reporters that faculty “all want to be back on campus, but we want to make sure that our students, faculty and staff are as safe as possible in the classroom. The best policy to keep EMU open is vaccination, frequent testing, and masking. EMU is moving in that direction, but we have to move faster.” The locals have sent a joint demand to bargain to the EMU administration over the situation and look forward to meeting with officials soon to address these issues.
Presidents’ Council Recap
We had a great Presidents’ Council Saturday, with locals from across the state represented. Among other topics, we discussed negotiating Covid safety measures, fighting racism, political action, and member engagement. Thanks to all the local presidents who joined us.
Welcome Danielle, Thank You Charlie
This week Danielle Aubert takes office as the President of AAUP-AFT Local 6075 at Wayne State University. Danielle is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design. We have been working with Danielle since her election and look forward to her leadership.
We cannot say enough about Charlie Parrish, the current President of Local 6075. Charlie is an outstanding trade unionist who was first elected President in 1990 and served in this position for most of the past 31 years.. During the time the local has achieved significant gains for WSU tenured faculty, academic staff and lecturers half-time or more. And the gains of AAUP-AFT positively impacted other unions on campus. Local 6075 has never been shy about taking on the fight. Additionally, with Charlie’s leadership the local has been a strong supporter of the state federation and in supporting labor throughout the community. Understanding the critical role of political action, especially for public sector workers, Charlie was always a very, very generous contributor to the AFT Michigan PAC. Thank you Charlie for all you have done for so many.
AFT Town Hall – Tuesday, August 31 @6:45 p.m.
AFT is holding a virtual town hall on how we can return to in-person teaching and learning safely. The panel will be answering questions submitted by educators, parents, health care workers and other members of the community. Submit your question about schools reopening:
The list of speakers includes:
- U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy
- Dr. Samira Brown, pediatrician and co-founder of Little Lives PPE™
- Nathan Monell, executive director of the National PTA
- Dr. Pamela Cantor, physician and founder of Turnaround for Children
- Dan Domenech, executive director of AASA, The School Superintendents Association
- Randi Weingarten, AFT president, as moderator and host
The town hall will be livestreamed on both Facebook and YouTube on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at 6:45 p.m. ET.
Metro Detroit AFL-CIO Food Box Giveaway
Because of COVID, there will not be a Labor Day parade in Detroit this year. However, the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO has organized a Food Box Giveaway for members of unions affiliated with the Metro Detroit AFL-CO, which includes AFT Michigan locals. The Giveaway will be on Friday, September 3 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. To pick up food you must provide your name, address, phone number, union name and local number to FoodGiveaway@metroDaflcio.org by Friday, August 27. Confirmations will be sent to those who send in this information. The location of the Giveaway will be sent with the confirmation.
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 $52 a year to elect more candidates who share our values? Please visit https://aftmichigan.org/pac/ and set up a recurring gift. For as little as $1 a week, YOU can make a big difference in protecting public education and building a better Michigan future!
Upcoming Union-Building Workshops
| Workshop | Date | Start | End |
| Free Speech for Public Employees | Wednesday, September 1, 2021 | 5:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Local Support Programs Overview | Thursday, September 2, 2021 | 5:00 PM | 7:00 PM |
| Communication Tools for Local Leaders | Wednesday, September 8, 2021 | 5:00 PM | 6:30 PM |
| Accessing Michigan’s Unemployment System | Friday, September 10, 2021 | 2:00 PM | 3:30 PM |
Upcoming Professional Development
Share My Lesson Back-to-School Activities
Discover what Share My Lesson and its community of passionate educators, parents and professionals recommend for your students as you prepare to hit the books for another academic year of discovery and progress. From classroom teachers to paraprofessionals and school support staff, to community members and parents, there’s something for everyone!
The United States bears witness to great environmental destruction every day. Unfortunately, these events often have a disproportionate effect on communities with high rates of poverty and those of color. From Flint, Mich., where the government failed an entire city, to hurricanes that displace whole communities, the impact on our most vulnerable populations cannot be ignored.
Resources to Support English Learners
Students learning English need to engage meaningfully with, and be engaged by, grade-level work while developing their language skills. As educators, rethinking how we design scaffolds, how learners from different backgrounds may approach the same content, and how we frame success in the classroom can create more positive classroom experiences for all students. Lessons that intentionally welcome and support English learners benefit all learners. Consider these strategies, pulled together by Achieve the Core, as you plan for the new school year:
- Support SEL with writing opportunities
- Improve your instructional materials
- Build background knowledge
- Implement these concrete scaffolds to support writing and discussion
AFT Member Benefit
Bachelor’s Degree Completion Program
Eligible students across the country who have earned an associate degree can now complete their bachelor’s degree for free.
In solidarity,
David Hecker, President
