Build Union, Build Green
Thanks to a grant from the Climate Jobs National Resource Center, AFT Michigan is leading a coalition of other education unions, building trades and the UAW to map out a strategy for having all school construction done union and “green,” and for districts to purchase electric union-made buses. As the Coalition’s mission statement begins: “The Michigan Green, Healthy Schools Campaign will advance a bold vision for green healthy schools that will create good union jobs in school communities, decrease carbon emissions, save schools millions of dollars in energy costs, improve student health and learning outcomes, and advance racial and economic equity.”
Hamtramck Teachers Speak Out Against Book Banning
Led by President Toni Coral, members of the Hamtramck Federation of Teachers spoke out against book banning at last week’s school board meeting. Like at Dearborn earlier this year, the books under attack are about LGBTQ+ issues and supporting students. Great work HFT.
Solidarity on the Football Field
With 50,000 teaching and research assistants, post docs and graders, who are members of the UAW, striking the University of California for higher wages and other issues, solidarity has reached the football field. At Saturday’s Stanford/Cal game, UAW was spelled out on the field at half-time. Solidarity has been strong throughout the strike with union construction workers and Teamster UPS drivers honoring the picket line and students standing up in support.
McVey Scores Second Term on Saline School Board
Michael McVey, who describes himself as a “proud AFT member and a member of the Eastern Michigan University AAUP-AFT,” was elected to a second term on the Saline School Board. Thanks Michael for teaching in higher education and being a K-12 elected leader.
Celebrate, Analyze and Build
My November Michigan Advance column reviews the 2022 Michigan elections, what we need to do to make sure we continue to win, and how we turn the big election wins into good policy.
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!
Justice Leaders Collaborative (JLC) Core Course
The Justice Leaders Core Course is open to all AFT Michigan leaders passionate about issues of equity, inclusion and social justice. Learning will focus on issues of privilege, oppression and inequality along lines of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Participants will come to understand their own social identities, biases, and prejudices; increase their knowledge about the histories and present realities of various social identity groups; and begin considering how to incorporate this knowledge and awareness into building strong unions.
Our next cohort of the Justice Leaders Core Course will run 6 consecutive Mondays, 6:00-8:00 PM, starting January 30th. Nearly 100 AFT Michigan leaders from all constituencies have now completed the Core Course. To register for the Justice Leaders Core Course fill out this form: https://forms.gle GhsHNMprbSefabPb6
Professional Development
AFT Michigan Virtual Workshop
Cultivating the Somebodiness of Students and Educators (Dignity)
December 10, 2022
8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
This workshop will examine research based approaches about how dignity affects students’ growth both socially, emotionally and academically. It will also provide strategies to promote educators’ agency and efficacy while enhancing students’ learning by implementing dignity strategies into the educational realm.
In solidarity
David Hecker
President
