For those of you in education, good luck wrapping things up and heading into what is hopefully a restful and recharging break this week. For those of you in healthcare or public services, I hope you manage to get a break and enjoy time with your friends and family. AFT Michigan will be closed for our winter break December 21 – January 3.
The Year in Organizing: Our Growing Union
We accomplished a tremendous amount as a union this year – from the restoration of bargaining rights in Lansing to the amazing contracts won by many locals. In addition, we probably had our biggest year ever in terms of new member organizing, adding four locals and more than 3,000 members to our union:
- United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals (UMMAP) have certified four units on their way to representing nearly 3,000 patient care professionals at Michigan Medicine (and they might add even more before the year ends);
- Michigan School of Psychology Alliance of Teachers (MSPAT) was certified as the representative of full and part-time faculty at MSP;
- Alliance of Resident Physicians (ARP) was certified as the representative of medical residents at Wayne State University; and
- Glen Lake Federation of Support Staff was recognized as bargaining agent for paraprofessionals, food service workers, and other support staff at Glen Lake Public Schools.
Amazing work by all the member activists and our dedicated staff who helped form these new unions and are now working to win first contracts!
Happy Holidays from AFT Michigan Locals
Happy Holidays from DFT 231 Retirees
Happy Holidays from East Detroit 698 Retirees
Happy holidays from the AFT Michigan staff
Union Made Gifting
It’s that time of year! No matter what you celebrate or how, we know many of you are looking for that perfect gift for your friends and family. And we’d like to suggest—in what has become our annual tradition—gifting union made.
We’ve expanded our gift guide this year. In addition to the usual assortment of delicious union-made food and drinks, toys and games, and more, we also have gifts for big spenders. Gifts that you can make at home, with union products! Gifts for those who’d rather have an experience. Find that perfect gift, from stocking stuffers to sports equipment to a unique book or theater performance.
Best of all, you can feel proud knowing your gifts are made by workers who stood together for family-supporting wages and good benefits. Supporting union-made goods will help workers and communities across the country—you are essentially voting “Union Yes” with your wallet.
It’s a big comprehensive guide, and it’s all here, so we hope this will be your one-stop shopping list this holiday season. We’ll make your gift-giving easy, and you can support union members with your hard-earned dollars—it’s a win-win!
Check out our Union-Made Holiday Gift Guide here.
Upcoming Webinar: Dimensions to Wellness Self-Care for Educators – January 24
Join AFT’s Share My Lesson for this free webinar to support your health and well-being, part of our 2024 Wellness Series.
Dimensions to Wellness is a valuable and research-based training program designed to cater to the holistic well-being of educators. This webinar is a unique opportunity for educators to explore and enhance their mental, physical, and emotional health.
During this hour-long session, participants will delve into their own self-care practices, gaining insights to become more intentional about their wellness journey. The program covers a range of topics, including an assessment of current health, understanding circadian rhythms, exploring eight wellness indicators and their impact on overall well-being, and even delving into the concept of chakras.
Note: Each webinar in this Wellness Series is a stand-alone professional development webinar; you can watch one or all and in any particular order that suits your needs. Register now.
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!
In solidarity,
Terrence Martin
President
