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Calling for Uniform School Quarantine Policies

Tue, 01/12/2021 - 5:00pm
Board of Education (BOE) Union Coalition leaders are urging Governor Ned Lamont create a clear, uniform policy regarding how school districts should handle quarantines and leaves in our public schools. Labor leaders in a January 8 letter said that too many districts are not following procedures established by health experts for responding to COVID-19 exposures. Those local school officials are jeopardizing the health and safety of their communities and the success of their students.
 
Click here for the coalition’s letter to the governor.
 

"No Going Back to Normal" in 2021

Mon, 01/04/2021 - 2:20pm
When I accepted a Connecticut People’s World Committee "Amistad Award" last month, I began my remarks by recognizing our members. They are the ones who are out there fighting the good fights and making — as Congressman John Lewis would have said — "good trouble." I credited our educators and school support staff, nurses and healthcare workers, higher education professionals and public employees who have done amazing things over this past year.
 

AFT on Nomination of Dr. Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary

Tue, 12/22/2020 - 3:00pm
WASHINGTON — American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel issued the following statement after President-elect Joe Biden nominated Miguel A. Cardona to be the next U.S. secretary of education:
 

Presenting Petitions Urging the "Safe and Successful Schools Now" Recommendations

Thu, 12/10/2020 - 1:30pm
As COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) cases continue to rise in Connecticut, leaders of the Board of Education (BOE) Union Coalition today presented a petition signed by nearly 14,000 education and community members. Signers urged the state to take immediate steps to protect the health of students, staff and communities.
 
Click here to sign and share the petition.
 

Education Community: Shift to All Remote Learning Unless Stronger Protections Are in Place

Mon, 11/23/2020 - 1:30pm
With the surging COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) infection rate — the highest since May — consistent statewide safety protocols must be established and strictly enforced, along with uniform transparency in reporting and responding to cases, for schools. If that's not possible, Connecticut must shift to full-time remote learning until after the holidays. Those are some of the required statewide steps outlined in the Board of Education (BOE) Union Coalition's "Safe and Successful Schools Now," report released today.
 

Education Coalition Responds to Misguided State Policy on "Prolonged" Remote Learning

Thu, 11/12/2020 - 7:30pm
The coalition of unions representing over 60,000 public education employees issued the following response to state guidance yesterday regarding local school building COVID-19-related closures:
 

Backus Hospital Nurses Secure New Contract That Ensures "Great Quality Care" for Region

Thu, 10/22/2020 - 11:30am
NORWICH—Registered nurses at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich, yesterday voted nearly unanimously to approve a settlement with the hospital, which followed a two-day strike. The agreement reached Saturday with Hartford HealthCare (HHC), which operates the 213-bed acute care facility, improves protective gear policies and empowers the caregivers to address staffing issues. The pact also resolves long-standing recruitment and retention concerns by making significant economic investments in the workforce.
 

Braving the Elements to Lock In "What Matters Most"

Wed, 09/30/2020 - 5:30pm
The ongoing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) crisis meant that the majority of local unions' collective bargaining efforts over the summer focused on negotiating narrow pandemic-related agreements. Despite the unprecedented challenges, leaders of half a dozen AFT Connecticut affiliates successfully concluded efforts to ratify full successor contracts. We're featuring one that stood out because members not only overcame the virus, but also faced down a hurricane.
 

Students, School Staff and Families at Risk Due to Lack of State Policy Following COVID-19 Outbreaks

Wed, 09/16/2020 - 12:30pm
Just days after the majority of Connecticut students physically returned to the classroom, more than a dozen school districts across the state reported positive COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) cases. From Newington to Naugatuck, Waterbury to Glastonbury, and East Hartford to West Haven, varying degrees of action have been taken at each impacted building. Some have shut down completely, others isolated cohorts of students and put classes in quarantine, some moved to all distance learning, and others did little or nothing.
 

Demanding a Voice in Reopening Safely

Fri, 08/28/2020 - 5:30pm
Members of AFT Connecticut-affiliated local unions have for the past four weeks taken center stage in the debate over fall "back to school" plans. Teachers and education personnel have repeatedly called for prioritizing students and staff health in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. Efforts culminated this week in public actions organized with labor allies demanding state officials put safety first. 
 
Click here to sign and share our board of education (BOE) union coalition's petition.
 
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