FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, May 8, 2023
Media Contact: Aaron Pelo, apelo@miaflcio.org | 734.355.2741
During Teacher Appreciation Week, Labor and Legislative Leaders Join in Celebrating Educators, Fighting to Restore Their Voices
LANSING, Mich. – Today, at the start of Teacher Appreciation Week, the Michigan AFL-CIO is celebrating Michigan’s teachers and amplifying the legislative effort to empower teachers at the bargaining table and restore many rights that were taken away under previous anti-worker administrations.
“Teacher Appreciation Week is different this year,” said Michigan AFL-CIO President Ron BIEBER, “because Michigan’s teachers have an ally in every branch of state government for the first time in 40 years. Teachers and school employees are some of the hardest-working people in the state and yet for years while under a Republican controlled legislature, they suffered attack after attack on their bargaining rights, their wages and benefits, and their freedom and autonomy in the classroom.”
Under Snyder and Engler policies, teachers lost the ability to negotiate on critical issues that affect them, like evaluations, privatization of support staff, and layoffs. The Snyder administration also enacted a law that penalizes teachers and school employees if their contract expires before a new one is in place, a move that was designed to target teachers and weaken their bargaining power. In addition to numerous other policies restricting teachers’ rights, the ability to fully negotiate health care was also capped.
“Teachers provide hope and opportunity to so many,” said American Federation of Teachers Michigan President David HECKER. “Their work, as well as the work of support staff without whom schools could not operate, should be celebrated every day.”
“As a former high school English teacher of nearly 20 years,” said Senate Education Committee Chair Dayna POLEHANKI (D-Livonia), “I can say from experience that teachers have one of the most demanding, exhausting, yet rewarding professions out there. We appreciate you, teachers, today and every day. It’s almost June, so hang in there!”
“As a teacher-turned-legislator, I can’t emphasize enough how important our teachers are throughout the entire State of Michigan,” said House Education Committee Chair Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth). “Not just this week, but every week, you are appreciated and make a difference.”
The Michigan AFL-CIO, Michigan’s largest labor organization, is a federation representing forty different labor organizations, eighteen different central labor councils, and eight constituency groups representing over 1 million union members and their families.
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