May 1st is International Workers’ Day and to mark the occasion on A Public Affair, we talk with some local labor organizers.

First, Michael Jones explains the main concerns facing educators: safety, staffing, and autonomy.  Jones is the president of Madison Teachers Inc. (MTI), the union representing about 2,700 teachers and professional staff employed by MMSD. Last week, many MTI members spoke at the MMSD School Board to demand a cost of living adjustment. Jones says recently he’s seen “an educator and worker exodus from MMSD. They’re going out to the suburbs because they’re being offered higher salaries, more supports, and, in general, better working conditions.”

Then, we talk with Victoria Gutierrez and Ines Berna from the Service Employees International Union SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin, which is Wisconsin’s largest and fastest growing health care workers union representing over 5000 health care workers. They join the shortages caused by the pandemic, burn out, and moral distress. SEIU Healthcare Wisconsin is organizing a blood drive on Friday, May 12th at Madison Labor Temple in honor of Nurses’ Week. You can sign up here.

Image by sanjay k j from Pixabay

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