News from AFT PSRP Archive

Leadership conference: PSRP activists swap advice on campaigning

The AFT PSRP leadership conference last month came chock-full of advice from activists on how to optimize campaigns, whether they focus on organizing, politics, a living wage or community service. PSRP co-chairs Carl Williams and Sarah Wofford led the proceedings. Williams is president of the Lawndale (Calif.) Federation of Classified Employees, a former school custodian and president of California’s classified members. Wofford is an accounting specialist for Rogue Community College and president of the Oregon School Employees Association. Eighteen AFT locals sent paraprofessionals and school-related personnel to Chicago for the conference.

Working hard shouldn’t mean struggling to survive

Working people are suffering under the current economy. From cafeteria workers facing food insecurity to other school and college staff juggling multiple jobs just to get by, our support professionals deserve better. Carl Williams, a head custodian, PSRP co-chair and an AFT vice president, shares why the Working Americans’ Tax Cut Act would be a game-changer. This legislation could put an extra $6,000 in the pockets of working families, helping them achieve the American dream. Watch this powerful message and tell your members of Congress to support this vital legislation.

Register for your free AFT Affordability Clinic

Medical bills, student loans and credit cards are pushing too many working families to the brink. That’s why the AFT is hosting free Affordability Clinics as part of our Fight for Affordability campaign. Learn how to reduce, dispute and manage your debt—and understand your rights. Register for an upcoming clinic.

‘Violence is not part of the job’

Workplace violence doesn’t just hurt—it terrifies. It turns everyday tasks, like working in a community or classroom, into moments of dread. For Workplace Violence Awareness Month in April, we shared these stories of workers whose lives, and the lives of their families, have been forever changed by just one day on the job. Their stories are inspiring action, and their pain is fueling change.

The dismantling of the Voting Rights Act

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court in Louisiana v. Callais struck down Louisiana’s congressional map, ruling that the state’s second majority-Black district was an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. That 6-3 decision gutted the Voting Rights Act. “When courts eliminate remedies for racial discrimination in voting, they aren’t just redrawing maps. They’re dismantling democracy and setting back the promise of fair, multiracial representation,” says AFT President Randi Weingarten. “We will continue to fight for what Americans want and deserve—a fair system of representation, in which every community has an equal chance to choose their leaders and hold them accountable.” Learn how you can join the fight.

Latest resolutions: Keep up Target boycott and make college accessible for all

The AFT executive council has passed two new resolutions. One is on continuing our boycott of Target, and the other is on making college the public good it should be: affordable and accessible for all, not a privilege for the wealthy. The Target resolution aims to “transform our boycott by asking our 1.8 million members to shop locally for back-to-school supplies instead of at Target”—until Target is willing to stand with the Twin Cities against violent immigration enforcement. And the higher education resolution calls on the AFT to keep pressing for academic freedom, collective bargaining, full funding, world-leading research and a vibrant democracy.

Our message to Congress: AI needs guardrails

AFT President Randi Weingarten writes in her latest column that when it comes to classroom instruction, educators and parents are calling for “devices down, eyes up, hands on” learning. Weingarten joined other leaders in Washington, D.C., to ask that regular people, not just billionaires, have a say in the future of work with artificial intelligence. To get a jump on this quickly evolving topic, check out the AFT’s National Academy for AI Instruction for an on-demand, one-hour session, “Critical Thinking in the Age of AI.”

May 17 conversation with Jonathan Kozol

Join AFT President Randi Weingarten, the Albert Shanker Institute and the AFT’s Share My Lesson on May 17 at 6 p.m. EDT for a conversation with renowned educator and bestselling author Jonathan Kozol on his latest book, We Shall Not Bow Down: Children of Color Under Siege—An Invocation to Resistance. Drawing on more than five decades of work, Kozol examines the realities of segregation, unequal resources and barriers that continue to limit opportunity for students. The presenters will explore what this means—and the role schools play in advancing equity, critical thinking and a stronger democracy. Register now to watch this free, for-credit session live or on demand.