#Unionstrong

Greetings:

These are profoundly challenging times for unionists — for all of us who believe in democracy and who yearn for a just world. From the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Janus v. AFSCME slamming union rights, to the Massachusetts Supreme Court's decision to take the Fair Share Amendment off of the ballot, we can clearly see the power that corporate interests have over our courts and our government.

These decisions have come in the midst of the assault on children and families looking to the U.S. as a place of freedom, and while Congress is moving a budget that decimates support for working people and slashes trillions of dollars from Medicare, Medicaid, nutritional assistance and other vitally important programs. I wake each day stunned and outraged by the ways power is wielded by the rich.

The wealthy special interests are already at it. Many of you may have received e-mails this morning encouraging you to drop membership. The people behind this effort include Betsy DeVos and the Koch brothers — people who have no interest in your well-being or that of our students and communities. They appeal to narrow self-interest, but as unionists and as educators, we know that our commitment is to one another, our students and the common good. Together we are stronger.

I am not daunted, and neither should any of us be. Last Saturday at a convening of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance a student from Boston said it was through activism, standing up, speaking out and fighting for justice that he overcame his struggle with despair. He reminded me that our work together to create a better world in and of itself creates that world. Activism is lived hope.

In the days and months ahead we have an obligation to each other and to the future to live hope through our actions. You can do that this weekend by attending rallies in Boston, Springfield or Worcester calling for reuniting of families entering this country and justice at our borders. Let us know if there are others in your community that we can publicize. At the Boston rally look for the MTA sign and walk union proud.

And you can fight for the common good, for democracy and justice every day by staying union strong, by joining with union sisters and brothers at work and in your community to proudly say that your union is fighting for a better world and you are sticking with the union.

Solidarity forever,

Barbara

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