National Teachers' Union Authorizes Strikes if Safety Measures Fall Short

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: New York Times

The second-largest teachers’ union in the United States announced on Tuesday that it would support its 1.7 million members if they choose to strike in districts and states that move to reopen classrooms without adequate health and safety measures.

The union, the American Federation of Teachers, said strikes should be a “last resort.” But the resolution approved by the organization’s executive council gives educators and their union representatives additional muscle in negotiations over what would constitute adequate protection for teachers and school employees.

The union is pushing for schools to wait to reopen classrooms until coronavirus transmission rates in a community fall below 1 percent and average daily test positivity rates stay below 5 percent — something that very few places have achieved. A recent New York Times analysis found that only two of the nation’s 10 school districts could reopen under the latter threshold.

The union also wants effective contact tracing in place in regions that reopen schools, mask requirements for students and teachers, updated ventilation systems in school buildings and procedures to maintain six feet of distance between individuals. “We will fight on all fronts for the safety of our students and their educators,” the union’s president, Randi Weingarten, said in a speech at the organization’s annual convention, which is being held online this week. She said that if the federal government can support the cruise industry and hedge funds during the coronavirus crisis, “they sure as hell can help working families, and can help educators ensure our kids get the education they

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/world/coronavirus-covid-19.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage#link-541bdc40

---

This is one of those "live updates" things and have been trying to find a better story link.

Link to tweet

TEXT

@DanaGoldstein
BREAKING: The American Federation of Teachers has authorized local and state strikes if schools reopen without certain safety measures in place.
Coronavirus Live Updates: Governors Make Hard Choices as Trump Pushes Reopening
Leaders of stricken states are considering limits on businesses. Washington lawmakers are grappling with aid levels. President Trump shared a video with misleading coronavirus claims.
nytimes.com
11:19 AM · Jul 28, 2020

[groundloop]

1. Good for them. Too bad more workers don't have a union fighting for them.

[Maribelle]

2. "Effective contact tracing" appears to be an enigma to most Governors.

especially in my state - Florida.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. The sad problem with contact tracing, that many states like mine (PA) have discovered

is that people have been reticent to disclose who they had contact with (obviously knowing they participated in a "prohibited activity" like a large indoor party, etc., so the admission of having done so often ain't happening). And then if they do get some general idea who may have been exposed and contacts to them are attempted, many are not answering the phone.

I don't know how they code the Caller ID for Contact tracers but because of all the nonsense robo-calls, people have generally stopped responding to calls from unknown or suspicious numbers.

At this point, about the only thing that can be done is to broadly announce on all local media outlets (radio/TV/local news websites) something like - "All those who attended a big party held on such-and-such date, in such-and-such city/town/neighborhood, please get tested".

[Igel]

7. Some of the Asian countries where contact tracing was spectacularly effective

essentially criminalized not providing the information or providing false information.

It wasn't a problem, given the general trust institutions enjoy in those countries, making both the non-compliance rate low and enabling acceptance of a penalty for non-compliance.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. One thing that also differentiates Asian countries from here

is that they are generally culturally homogeneous where in the U.S., there are so many cultural differences that "trust" is the biggest issue.

I have been listening to the Philly biweekly updates (on right now) and the Health Dept. head was just describing the issues of contact tracing and even provided some interesting stats (that I put on an electronic sticky) -

Philadelphia has 108 tracers/supervisors (some still in training)

When a positive case is reported to the city by a lab and the contact trace begins, on average they have found that -

54% responded
6% refused
38% haven't responded

From those who did respond, it was found that exposure was reported as follows -

27% from travel to beaches NJ (generally parties)
15% to other counties in PA
48% in the city

Regarding those aware of possible source of exposure -

32% reported exposure to an immediate family member (in their own household)
18% reported exposure from another household (relative/friend)
14% reported exposure from social events
12% reported exposure from the workplace

Right now, the only entities being "penalized" here in PA, are the businesses. I think the current initial approach to individuals is "education".

Very early on when things were shutting down and Philly was hitting a peak in cases, the city's public transit started requiring masks on their vehicles When one passenger refused, he was dragged off the bus by the transit police and of course that had been filmed by a bystander and went viral, and that was the end of that type of "enforcement"!

[IronLionZion]

3. Trump will send armed camo-wearing goons to beat them up

I hope it doesn't come to that, but then we didn't expect that to happen to moms on the streets of American cities either.

[keithbvadu2]

4. Four questions: Is it safe? Are your children/gchildren going?

Four questions: Is it safe? Are your children/gchildren going?

Do you waive legal immunity for yourselves?

Will you cover medical expenses for the children and school employees?

[Igel]

9. My district won't.

Health insurance would mostly cover it.

And there's 10 days of federal sick leave for COVID-19. They don't cover the tests (again, insurance, which the district subsidizes). After 10 days' fed leave, there's personal sick leave and "personal days".

I taught summer school on line and there was no waiver for SpEd. It meant that the services that the kids' committees said needed to be provided to the kids on the spectrum needed to be provided. Federal law. I'm on the hook if I don't provide them; the district's on the hook if the district doesn't provide it. Because some districts didn't do due diligence last year, last decade, 30 years ago, the law's unforgiving and suspicious of everybody. So there were paraprofessionals going to a few different houses a few times a week to provide services to the kids enrolled in summer school. I was specifically told to have no in-person contact with students.

It doesn't help that SpEd programs have also been a release valve under the standardized-testing pressure-cooker mentality, with low-achievers sheltered from state tests under the IEP umbrella. Campbell's law in action.

[klook]

12. Fifth question: Is our children learning?

Sorry! Couldn’t resist.


I’m glad these teachers are taking this step. Bravo the union!

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Good. My other half, classified as an essential worker (in of all things, a retail operation) ...

was/still is pissed off that they still have to work in retail because they're classified as an essential employee so people can still get their carpets and flooring etc. (non essential items by the way, sarcasm here).

So while tens of millions of people have been getting the $600 weekly benefit from the feds for being off/out of work (plus any other state benefits too), quite a few employees are still working, still exposed to the CV, and still dealing w/ idiot customers that aren't wearing masks, idiot customers who aren't socially distancing, idiot customers who aren't being careful overall, sticking their damn phones up in people's faces to show them something (really? think about it people before you stick a damn phone in someone's face).

At least the retail store has authorized all employees to walk away from anybody and not serve them, this is anybody. If anyone comes in and tries to buy something w/o a mask, they won't get served. If they ask a ?, they won't be helped...thank god.

So, when you are out at that retail store, remember, more than likely that employee doesn't want to be there anymore than you do.
Understand that they don't want to be exposed to the CV anymore than you or your family wants to be exposed. Understand that you're probably making more money sitting at home not working (collecting benefits) while that employee is still pretty making the same amount of $ regardless of the CV epidemic. And don't be an a&&hole. Of course I'm not talking about DU people, I'm talking about choosy beggars you see on YouTube, etc., we've all met them.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

8. Great

Put the dotard and others on notice.

[BigmanPigman]

11. Good...I wonder if the NEA will do the same...

National Teachers Association.