The Pulse

The legislative session is winding down just as we’re gearing up for convention – suffice it to say we’re juggling a lot of balls in the air! Our labor movement is seeing big wins at both the national and state level and we’re presented with the opportunity to capitalize on the momentum built by people who are saying, we can do better and we must do better! Workers deserve better jobs, young people deserve to grow up without fear of gun violence (and we all deserve to live without it), and students and educators alike deserve well-supported schools and colleges in which they thrive.

The new year is right around the corner, offering the opportunity to reflect on the last year. Given that we’re approaching the two-year mark of the COVID pandemic, I’m finding myself reflecting on the last two years and experiencing an array of feelings ranging from fatigue to inspiration, worry to optimism. I suspect I’m not alone in that. Together, the leaders, members and staff of AFT Washington have navigated remarkable challenges and seized opportunities, both expected and unexpected. Think back to March 13th, 2020, when we learned that schools and colleges were shutting down, restaurants closed their doors, and we suddenly cut off most social interactions. Over the course of the following months, we adapted to the circumstances of the moment, then shifted gears to adapt to new circumstances, and then shifted again, and again, and again. Some number of locals were in bargaining nonstop, including regular contract bargaining, impacts of closure and mandated vaccine bargaining, nurse educator and high demand faculty bargaining and other subjects. Legislation, proclamations, and an unpredictable economy made for a Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride experience. These were challenges that we collectively turned into opportunities to mobilize our members, forge cross-union alliances, and improve wages and working conditions.

Happy Post-Election Day! I feel relieved and perhaps even a little hopeful with the election results. Our fight for economic, racial, and social justice will continue in Washington State with a likely Senate pick-up and larger House majority, creating conditions allowing us to push back against the austerity messaging we’re encountering in our preparation for the legislative session. I’m even more optimistic about our non-budget legislative agenda. Tomorrow is Veteran’s Day – Senator Patty Murray has been a champion for veterans, consistently calling for expanding services and support throughout her tenure and recently helping pass the PACT Act which provides expanded support for veterans harmed by toxic burn pits. Illness associated with these burn pits are presumed to be caused by military-related exposure. Veteran’s Day gives us the opportunity to think about how we can translate statements of support to military personnel and veterans to actual support.

Greetings Friends, Will student loan debt soon become a thing of the past? For the eight AFT members who joined Randi Weingarten in a lawsuit against Betsy DeVos and the DOE, their debt is a thing of the past! The settlement in the lawsuit included discharge of the plaintiff’s debt and a review of all applications for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program previously rejected. This is a huge victory with a significant impact on our members who are carrying student loan debt. (If that’s you, Summer may be able to help.) At our workshop on student loan debt last week, we heard the stories of several of our members whose lives are constrained by debt. Anitra, a paraeducator, wants to continue her education and earn her B.A. but is daunted by the debt she holds from her A.A. degree. Discharge of that debt would be a big first step toward her goal. Paul is retired and prior to the workshop anticipated he’d pay off his debt at the age of 80…the PSLF rule changes suggest some of his debt will be discharged much sooner.

Hard to believe we’re approaching the 3-year anniversary of the pandemic shutdown, yet here we are. I’m pleased to announce that over the break we filed a representation petition with PERC to represent professional/exempt staff at Walla Walla Community College. The next step is to come to agreement with management and PERC on which positions will be in the unit and then get to the bargaining table. As you read through this Pulse, you’ll see that AFT Washington Board member and faculty at Pierce College Jacqui Cain is working to organize professional staff at other colleges – if you know of colleagues at the CTCs who might be interested, Jacqui would welcome a conversation with them, so please reach out.

Greetings Friends, The 2021-2022 school year is fully under way and the 2022 legislative session is right around the corner. The demands on you as union leaders and educators have been unrelenting since March 2020 and I want to express my deepest gratitude to you for the creative problem solving, solidarity, and commitment to the social contract you have demonstrated during this challenging time. I want to acknowledge our staff as well, who have maintained high expectations around our members’ rights as workers and the education and supports our students deserve. Although many people are struggling and suffering, we have seen substantial gains. Just yesterday substantial changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program were announced, making the program finally accessible to 550,000 borrowers! We’ll be hosting an interactive virtual event in early November on the subject of student loan debt – we need to make sure every one of our members knows about these changes and the resources they can access to improve their personal economy.

First, I want to wish you and yours a peaceful and enjoyable holiday season. The many holidays celebrated at this time of year offer respite, reflection, relation and so much more, even while creating the potential added stress. Please do take care and seek the best these last weeks of 2022 have to offer.

Looking ahead into 2023, the AFT Washington Executive Board plans to offer several Race and Labor workshops in January and February, both in person and virtually. Board members Gillian Reese (Local 461), Peter Pihos (Local 2084), and David Ortiz (Local 6191) will be reaching out to local presidents by region to arrange workshops for local leaders. Our hope is that your local leadership will participate as a team and then host a workshop for your membership in Spring or Summer. This workshop is an opportunity to deepen understanding of systemic racism within our union and our workplaces and to strengthen our commitment to disrupting it constructively.

I feel relieved and perhaps even a little hopeful with the election results. Our fight for economic, racial, and social justice will continue in Washington State with a likely Senate pick-up and larger House majority, creating conditions allowing us to push back against the austerity messaging we’re encountering in our preparation for the legislative session. I’m even more optimistic about our non-budget legislative agenda.

Here we are, starting another school year in the context of COVID. Who thought we would still be at the bargaining table negotiating working conditions impacted by the pandemic? Many of you have started your second year of in-person work, while others continue to work mostly remotely. The challenge of meeting workers’ needs while also providing quality education, healthy buildings, and adequate support services is real, even while it looks different in different settings. As I wrote early in the pandemic, the weaknesses in our systems – the digital grand canyon, food insecurity, staff shortages, lack of respect on the job, unaffordable childcare and healthcare – are still illuminated, and some efforts have been made to address them. The digital grand canyon was narrowed and meals at school were available to all. Many of our locals fought for and won meaningful raises – most recently, AFT Kent had a 95% strike authorization vote, resulting in more competitive wages without actually striking!