“The American
Federation of Teachers (AFT), the nation’s second-largest teachers union, said
it will back members to go on strike because of unsafe working conditions
in schools due to the coronavirus pandemic. The AFT said striking should be a ‘last
resort’ but demanded several safeguards before schools fully reopen.
“The
safeguards, according to the union, should include comprehensive contact
tracing in areas where classes resume, mandatory masking and updated
ventilation systems in facilities, The New York Times reported.
“‘We will fight on all fronts for the safety of our students and their
educators,’ AFT President Randi Weingarten said at the union’s annual
convention, held online this year due to the pandemic.
“Weingarten noted
government assistance to the cruise and hedge fund industries during the
pandemic, saying that if the federal government could provide such aid, ‘they
sure as hell can help working families, and can help educators ensure our kids
get the education they need.’
“The
restrictions are not as strict some activists have called for, like only
reopening schools after 14 days of no new cases in a region, according to the
Times. As the White House has pushed aggressively for all schools to resume
normal operations in the fall, teachers’ unions have said hundreds of billions
of dollars are needed for the necessary safety measures.
“The relief
package introduced by Senate Republicans this week is substantially less than
the amount Democrats and labor leaders called for and would provide $70 billion
to K-12 schools but on the condition that schools at least partially reopen in
the fall.
“The AFT has said
it will leave the decision to strike up to local chapters, one of which, the
Florida Education Association, has already sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s
(R) administration over its plan to fully reopen schools in the state. Hundreds
of teachers in the state, where cases are surging, have reportedly requested living
wills” (The Hill).
So where is the support for teachers from the largest teachers' union, the National Education Association!?
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