Colleagues,

Last Tuesday, we came close to finalizing a deal with the Newark Public Schools, but thankfully the NTU negotiations team caught some last minute issues and wisely pumped the brakes.

April 7, 2017 — Workers Independent News / 89.9 WORT FM interviewed UFAS members Jambul Akkaziev and Alyssa Franze on Friday, April 7, 2017, about recent victories in the union’s Fair Pay for Faculty Assistants campaign. You can listen to the interview here. The interview starts at about 11:45.

House Budget Fails   The deadline for the NH House to pass a state budget was April 6^th. Despite having a 53-vote margin majority, the NH House Republicans failed to pass a budget to send to the NH Senate by the deadline for the first time in at least 50 years. The House met over two days and recessed on Thursday, April 6^th with no budget. Speaker Shawn Jasper was unable to garner the votes of the republican caucus to approve a budget after the so-called Freedom Caucus in the House balked at the budget citing too much spending. The NH Senate begins the process of dealing with the budget. 

MPEC members made their voices heard during this legislative session.  Over 50 MPEC and AFT Healthcare members participated in three lobby nights during the 2017 legislative session. Members spoke with legislators about important topics to state employees, including investing in Maryland and valuing state employees, improving indoor air quality and working conditions for state employees.

April 4, 2017 — "FAs across the university have campaigned throughout the semester for 'fair and equitable pay.'" That campaign is a UNION campaign.

Read more at http://www.dailycardinal.com/article/2017/04/faculty-assistants-demand-equal-pay-for-equal-work

Read the Faculty Senate resolution at http://ufas.wi.aft.org/files/2677_facassistants_0.pdf

Facts About
Children, Education, and Immigration Enforcement 

Attend a workshop on April 18th to learn more--http://hft.tx.aft.org/events/protecting-students-and-families

As President Trump's anti-immigrant campaign message moves from heated rhetoric to action, students and their families are increasingly fearful.

You’ll find information on a number of high priority bills under consideration.

Knezek Offers Resolution Demanding Snyder Drop the Appeal and Return our 3 Percent

Sen. David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) introduced on March 29 SR 37, a resolution demanding Gov. Rick Snyder return the money taken illegally from school employees’ paychecks from 2010-12, the subject of a seven-year court battle led by AFT Michigan and the Michigan Education Association.

Karen Riggleman, a member of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers, was announced as the recipient of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers' Mother Jones Award at the LFT's annual Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel Conference, held April 1 at the Baton Rouge Crowne Plaza Hotel.

New Orleans paraprofessional Yovonda Curtis received a Louisiana Federation of Teachers PSRP Scholarship at the Federation's annual Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel Conference, held on April 1 at the Baton Rouge Crowne Plaza Hotel.