Onaway Educators Matter!
Onaway community members and retired school personnel joined forces to sponsor a Soup, Salad and Dessert Luncheon, Friday, March 1st, to express appreciation to ALL school personnel for the work they do.The hallways were lined with donated signage, denoting every position held by employees (i.e. “Bus Drivers Matter”, “Secretaries Matter”, etc.) AND in the cafeteria, a banner that read, ‘YOU MATTER” and listed the occupations of the school.
The coordinators were extremely appreciative of the response and support the community has for Onaway Area Community Schools and its staff. This reflects years of relationship-building between our locals and the community. Great work by everyone involved!
AFT School and College Millages Win Big
Congratulations to the many locals that helped pass millages last Tuesday to ensure proper funding for our schools and colleges. Successful millages included Dearborn Public Schools, Henry Ford College, Lake Shore Schools, Melvindale – Northern Allen Park Schools, and Plymouth-Canton Schools. The success of these campaigns shows that Michigan voters understand how important it is to properly fund education in our communities.
Investing In Our Public School Teachers Listening Session – March 18
New Episode of the AFT Michigan Podcast Drops!
On this episode of the AFT Michigan Podcast, Dearborn Federation of Teachers President Kathi Martin sat down with AFT Michigan Political & Legislative Coordinator to talk about the upcoming school funding millage that will be in front of Dearborn voters. And whether you’re in Dearborn or not, make sure you get out and vote in the upcoming primary election!
Kathi Martin & Jenell Mansfield, Ep. 3
Remembering the Racist History of ‘Right-to-Work’ Laws
Op-Ed by Daryl Newman, president of the Detroit AFL-CIO and secretary-treasurer of the Michigan AFL-CIO.
Michigan Nurses Association Informational Picket – March 12
Union Talk Podcast – ‘We Were There: To Rustin, with Love’
In this unique two-part episode of “Union Talk,” AFT President Randi Weingarten honors the legacy of civil rights luminary Bayard Rustin alongside esteemed labor figures who shared his acquaintance: Rachelle Horowitz, former AFT political director; Lorretta Johnson, AFT secretary-treasurer emeritus; and Clayola Brown, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. Also joining the discussion are Julian Breece, co-screenwriter of the movie “Rustin,” and Bruce Cohen, co-producer of the film. Watch here.
Celebrate Women’s History Month
March is Women’s History Month, this is a time to elevate the voices, dreams and stories of the women who changed the course of history and have made our world better and more equitable.
Check out AFT Share My Lesson teaching resources on women’s history and activities featuring key figures and historical events.
AFT Upcoming Webinars
AFT Professional Learning and Share My Lesson have launched a new Wellness 2024 webinar series lasting through May. Each webinar in this series is a stand-alone professional development session; you can watch one or all and in any particular order that suits your needs.
Upcoming Wellness Sessions:
Each webinar in this wellness series is a stand-alone session, so you can register today for all or just start with one. Learn more about the sessions we are offering below—each starts at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Can’t make it for the live session? Register anyway to watch it on demand at your convenience.
- March 20: Be Healthfully Present: Supporting Your Own Well-Being
How can we be healthfully present? In this session, participants will examine educators’ occupational health hazards, assess their professional quality of life, and review effective coping strategies. - April 17: Holistic Approach to Self-Care: Creating a Personal Wellness Plan
This session will equip educators with invaluable tools to not only recognize the signs of teacher burnout but also to proactively combat it. - May 6: More Than Just Self-Care: Six Factors of Educator Well-Being
Join this session in which we will explain how to go beyond burnout—equipping educators with strategies that are proven to increase well-being while also providing school systems the tools they need to drive improvements in educators’ well-being at scale.
Did you attend one of our first two sessions of the TEACH-ify webinars? If you missed the first two, register now for upcoming sessions of this new webinar series—TEACH-ify with AFT: Great Teaching Strategies! These sessions are held from 7 – 8 p.m. Eastern time, with live support until 8:30 p.m. to answer all your burning questions after the session concludes.
AFT Share My Lesson 2024 Virtual Conference
We’re only two weeks out from Share My Lesson’s biggest professional development event of the year, our 2024 Virtual Conference, March 19-21. Learn about our keynotes, sponsors and 35+ free, for-credit sessions … and you could win 1 of 20 Stanley tumblers!
Share My Lesson Sweepstakes: Win a 40-ounce Stanley Tumbler
Educators: We get it. What educator wants a 40-ounce trendsetting Stanley Tumbler when you don’t dare drink water during the school day because you have no time to take a bathroom break? That’s where we come in! Reclaim that precious time of yours and practice self-care. At Share My Lesson, we save you time so you can focus on, well, the important things.
Enter for the chance to win a Share My Lesson-branded 40-ounce Stanley Tumbler. Plus, you have more ways to increase your chances of winning. Sweepstakes are open now through Friday, April 5, 2024.
Bonus! Extra entries are now available when you register for one or more webinars. Codes are in the confirmation emails.
Registration is OPEN for the Spring Semester short courses. The first course, online offering of Safety in the Workplace with BM Folks, begins in early March, so register soon! Like all conferences, the short courses are eligible for union tuition assistance programs (TAP) and there are a limited number of partial scholarships available. This semester’s course offerings include:
- Safety in the Workplace with B.M. Folks: In this fully online short course, you’ll deep-dive into your rights as a worker to remain safe, the laws and union regulations that pertain to workplace safety, what an unsafe work environment looks like, and what to do if you experience harm, including understanding workers compensation and disability rights. This course starts on March 7, 2024. Learn more on our website.
- Grievance & Intro to Arbitration with Greg Drudi: Employee rights have evolved via legal, contractual, judicial, and political interventions. This course will deep-dive into the machinery of grievances, as well as lay a strong foundation for understanding the arbitration process. This interactive class will include actual case studies! This course starts on March 20. Learn more on our website.
- New Unit Organizing with Nolan Rosenkrans: This course takes participants through the stages of a private-sector union organizing campaign, from inception to contract negotiations. Course material will focus on representation elections overseen by the National Labor Relations Board from the perspective of a lead organizer. This course starts March 26. Learn more on our website.
Mark Your Calendar: AFT Michigan Legislative Coordinator Jenell Mansfield to Speak at WON Event
The Women Officials Network (WON) is putting on a five-woman panel, Leading IdeologicallyDiverse Organizations, on March 14 from 5:30PM-8PM .
Join us for a dynamic panel discussion titled “Leading Ideologically Diverse Organizations: Lessons from Women in Labor Leadership.” In this enlightening event, five influential women leaders from diverse backgrounds will share their insights, experiences, and strategies for effectively navigating and leading ideologically diverse organizations within the labor sector. From fostering inclusivity to managing differing viewpoints, this discussion promises to provide invaluable lessons for leaders seeking to drive positive change in their organizations.
The event will be held at Oakland Community College and include a complimentary dinner and networking event for those who register. Spots are limited, so register soon!
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
