Happy Labor Day!! It was through the vision of labor’s foremothers and forefathers that Labor Day was established to pay tribute to working people’s contributions to the strength, prosperity, well-being and promise of our country. As we approach Labor Day 2013, I want to thank you for your activism on behalf of economic and social justice for all and, most particularly, for the people and children we serve. I had the great honor this past week of participating in the commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Fifty years ago, the AFT was a major supporter of the march. This year, we again stepped forward as hundreds of thousands of people—including many AFT members—came to the nation’s capital to demand justice and opportunity for all Americans. In my remarks, I said that while we have become a country that believes in equality, we must become a country that acts on that belief. No one has to tell you that, since that’s exactly what you, our members and our leaders do every day. We are part of a movement to reclaim the promise of our great nation. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has cut $1 billion from education statewide, manufacturing a crisis in Philadelphia public schools. Twenty-four schools have been closed and 3,800 educators have been laid off. Schools are set to open Sept. 9 on a starvation budget—with burgeoning class sizes and stripped of nurses, counselors, and many of the things kids need. We are in Philly in force, working with community allies to act on our belief that every child deserves access to a great neighborhood public school. And we know that Philadelphia today could be 10 more cities tomorrow. Across the country, austerity hawks, privatizers and profiteers are attempting to feed on the anxiety of Americans. Yet despite their relentless efforts, our union is growing, and parents and the community are with us. We must keep fighting the growing economic unfairness in our country and the attacks on public schools and services. At the same time, we must promote our agenda of good jobs that pay living wages, great neighborhood schools, and laws that take immigrants out of the shadows and make voting sacrosanct. Our union and our partners are doing just that, working to reclaim the promise of our great nation. Reclaiming the promise is about: Fighting for great neighborhood public schools, and bringing back the joy of teaching and learning; Guaranteeing everyone has access to affordable higher education; Ensuring our hospitals and medical centers have the resources and staffing to ensure high-quality patient care; Making sure our public services and programs are fully funded to meet the needs of our communities; and Safeguarding the retirement security for all working women and men. We have many obstacles to confront. Sequester has slammed a nation struggling to recover from the recession. Collective bargaining rights for workers are under assault, and all Americans are paying a steep price. The percentage of mid-wage jobs lost during the recession is roughly the same as the low-wage positions created during the recovery, about 60 percent. Public schools where kids need the most often get the least. Just as the marchers half a century ago ushered in monumental changes despite tremendous obstacles, so too must we. Thank you for the work you do and for your activism. Together—union members, working people, and all those concerned about economic and social justice—we can reclaim the promise of our great nation. Have a safe and happy Labor Day. In unity, Randi Weingarten AFT President aft.org/
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 01:43:37 +0000
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