Though there’s no end to the pandemic in sight, including new mutations being confirmed at the University of Maryland College Park campus, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan ordered public-sector workers back to work.
Of course, most public-sector workers, essential or non-essential, did not have the luxury of working from home. Many public-sector workers in Maryland — teachers, custodians, sanitation workers, government employees, to name some — have been in the line of fire since the very first COVID-19 shutdowns.
For much of that time, they’ve had to work in unsanitary conditions, hostile work environments, and without hazard pay or employer-provided PPE.
On Monday February 8th Philly Pre-K to 2nd Grade educators are expected to return to in-person teaching. Rather than entering buildings, educators will teach their classes from outside their schools during the day to protest unsafe conditions. Our buildings remain unsafe, with widespread asbestos, lead, mold- in addition to the widely-reported issues with poor ventilation. We want to protect staff, students, parents, and our communities. Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 has disproportionately devastated Black and Brown communities nationwide and in Philadelphia, the same communities that many of our public schools serve and where many staff members live. Furthermore, many students and staff live in intergenerational households with other family members who are more at risk for COVID-19, and we refuse to put them at risk by letting this unsafe reopening plan go forward. Join community members, families, and educators at a press conference and rally at 4:00PM on Monday, February 8th to show support and to show the district that we will not let schools reopen until it is safe for everyone. *Masks are required. *We will be following social distancing guidelines. Please remain 6 ft away from anyone not in your household. #notuntilitssafe. #pft #takeaction (at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CK_R8JrncOLU5Jetyvs0Yso9nLvWXAIxQgqCsI0/?igshid=rrneng5eu3wu
Repost from @morecaucusuft 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 Teachers/staff at PS280 and PS149 in Jackson Heights, Queens rally this morning to Demand Safe Schools! Demanding: *safety procedures *ventilation *requirements for testing and tracing *cleanliness #NotUntilItsSafe #returntoschool2020 https://www.instagram.com/p/CFN8XL9AlJ-/?igshid=1p0x9wa8c5n9w
We’re just a few days into the school reopening plan negotiated by the Mayor and UFT leadership, and it’s already clear our communities are in danger. Positive cases around the city have been reported among staff, requiring colleagues to quarantine at a moment’s notice. Staff returned to buildings with sinks, windows, toilets still broken, without PPE and without adequate staffing for the hybrid model. The DOE released their ventilation reports on Labor Day, the night before staff was required to report.
We need to act. NOW. Before students come back into the building and everything gets worse.
Join our Day of Action on Monday, September 14th.
Here’s how you can help:
Using Monday as a day in which you circulate the MORE petition for full remote.
Having members sign a joint letter detailing the safety problems in your school. This might be sent to elected officials or to the parents of students in your school, or can be shared (anonymously, if you need) with the MORE media team ([email protected]) to post on our social media.
Organize your staff to wear #redfored. Take photos and post them on your social media with the hashtags #backtoschool2020 #notuntilitssafe.
Make calls to the Mayor, Chancellor and governor demanding a remote start to the year. Here is a phone zap script you can adapt.
Picket outside the school before work hours. Members at the Taft campus are already doing this. You can also join meetings from outside the school.
Lunch-time walkout. If done during lunch this will not subject members to disciplinary action.
Refuse to go into work in solidarity with your colleagues. This requires a high degree of membership solidarity to pull off effectively.
A little late, but here’s day 6 of ominous shirts to work. #notuntilitssafe https://www.instagram.com/p/CE5A2mYjfF2ctAeAGsACkP4LA1zCUf8exZgdmo0/?igshid=28flktwk5jsd
