In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times  column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

The CDC has released new COVID-19 guidelines, including updating its guidance for schools ahead of the new year. A safe and welcoming learning environment is crucial for everyone’s safety. 

This link is a summary and some basics    More information is forthcoming.   

What stays:

• Equity Focus: Schools play a critical role in promoting equity in learning and health, particularly for groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Equity issues need to be considered in all decision-making and decisions and there needs to be equitable access to vaccination, testing, masks and respirators

Verdaillia Turner, president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, said teachers have already been protesting some districts’ reopening plans out of fear for their health.

“Teachers did not sign up to give their lives to their jobs, literally, so let’s first get that straight,” she said.

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