AFT Convention: Weingarten unveils 'solution-driven unionism'
Weingarten unveils 'solution-driven unionism' at AFT national convention
July 27, 2012
AFT President Randi Weingarten kicked off the American Federation of Teachers national convention in Detroit today by advocating "solution-driven unionism," a new vision of unionism that advances solutions focused on uniting union members, the people they serve and the communities in which they live.
In her keynote, Weingarten said that America's workers face a new normal-with severe budget cuts jeopardizing public education, healthcare and other critical services; families losing more than 30 percent of their wealth during the economic crisis; and more than 100 bills introduced in state legislatures to demonize and attack public employees and undermine public services.
"This new reality-this new normal-demands an entirely new approach to unionism," said Weingarten. "An approach that is relevant and appropriate to the 21st century. More than ever, we need to act in innovative, creative and new ways-simultaneously refuting our critics, advancing our values, connecting with community and proposing solutions. That's solution-driven unionism." READ MORE AT AFT.ORG.
Pre-Convention News and Events
UPDATE: July 26, 2012
NYSUT officers heading delegation to AFT convention in Detroit
NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi and fellow officers Andy Pallotta, Maria Neira, Kathleen Donahue and Lee Cutler are leading a delegation of NYSUT representatives who will be front and center at the AFT Convention July 27-30 in Detroit. AFT, led by President Randi Weingarten, has planned a busy schedule that includes policy-making; mobilizing for the upcoming elections; delegates participation in “AFT Gives Back” events to benefit the community; and events to demonstrate delegate solidarity with their brothers and sisters in the Motor City, one of the major battlegrounds in the fight over union rights and public education. What’s at stake for Detroit? Bedrock issues, including loss of collective bargaining rights and imposition of contract terms. That underscores the importance of the upcoming presidential election, and delegates will be mobilizing in support of that essential AFT priority. For a summary of convention activities see the tentative convention schedule.
AFT Convention delegates to rally outside Detroit public school headquarters
NYSUT delegates to the 2012 AFT Convention will be among the thousands of educators joining the Detroit Federation of Teachers as they rally outside the city’s public school headquarters to demand regular bargaining sessions.
AFT ‘healthy living’ event promotes nutritious food and exercise
Just as NYSUT has led the charge to enhance the health of New York’s students through its “24/7 Let’s Go!” program which promotes better nutrition and increased exercise, AFT leaders spent the eve of the union’s 2012 convention in Detroit Thursday at a community-garden event to promote “healthy living through healthy foods.”
AFT Convention starts Friday
Some 3,000 delegates from across the country are gathering in Detroit for tomorrow's opening of the AFT's 82nd convention. The Motor City and the state of Michigan—where AFT members are fighting to maintain high-quality education and other public services in the face of difficult economic and political trends—provide an apt setting for the meeting. The AFT's State of the Union, which is prepared before each convention, looks back at the challenges the AFT has faced over the past two years as well as the union's successes in areas such as organizing, politics, and maintaining our members' economic well-being and professional dignity. The publication also includes highlights from each of the AFT’s membership divisions. At this year’s convention, delegates will address how our members are playing a leading role in improving the institutions where they work and the communities where they live in the face of unprecedented attacks on workers, while pioneering innovative solutions to address the needs of students, patients, educators and our communities. They will hear from education, labor, community and political leaders, as well as AFT President Randi Weingarten and Vice President Joe Biden; vote on policy resolutions that address such priority issues as standardized testing, job creation and healthcare reform; and engage in their own community service activities in Detroit.