Resolution in Support of Minneapolis Educators

March 17, 2022

WHEREAS, public education is one of the most highly unionized professions in the US, and

WHEREAS, contract negotiations that benefit workers in one union or one sector directly impact the bargaining power of other unions, in other sectors of employment, and

WHEREAS, educators have a responsibility to model for students acts of struggle to demonstrate what it takes to achieve justice and equity, and

WHEREAS, redistribution of wealth and democratized workplaces will only be won through working-class struggle and solidarity, and

WHEREAS, school-age students will face intractable problems due to climate change and increasing wealth inequality, and

WHEREAS, all workers must stand together to overturn the damaging tenets of unregulated capitalism in order to dismantle white supremacy, end poverty and mitigate the effects of climate change;

WHEREAS, the unions representing all education workers in the Twin Cities have democratically voted to strike on March 8th to win a living wage for ESPs, mental health supports for students, and lower class sizes,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the MLK Labor Council declares its support for the striking educators in Minneapolis, Minnesota and will donate $500 to its strike fund in solidarity.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor will invite its members to an online forum planned and facilitated by WEA local affiliates (date TBD, but likely mid/late-March). Invited to the forum held via Zoom will be speakers from MFT (Minneapolis Federation of Teachers), SPFE (Saint Paul Federation of Educators), union members from WEA, Washington State Labor Council and its affiliates, and Washington state AFT (American Federation of Teachers) members. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor will share a registration link to the event with its members at least one week in advance of the forum including the official stated purposes of the forum to be for Washington State union members:

• to learn what conditions and plans were needed for such a large-scale coordinated strike to be so overwhelmingly supported by dual-affiliated AFT and NEA locals and the community.
• to learn how the Twin-Cities strike is building solidarity between labor groups and community organizations and how that support may equate to future wins for the working class. 
• to discuss how the strike action has improved the visibility of the unionization efforts of previously unrepresented workers in the region.
• to visualize the implications of a large-scale educator strike on the broader labor movement here in Washington. 
• to begin planning for potential work actions that leverage the labor of workers to democratize our workplaces, improve learning and teaching conditions in schools, empower leaders from historically marginalized communities, and increase compensation so workers are able to organize on societal issues of income inequality, climate justice and dismantling white supremacy.