February 22, 2024 HGEA members win substantial hazard pay from the Hawaii Education Department Hawaii’s K-12 education workers win hazard pay for COVID-19 work. Read More
February 09, 2024 Lawmakers seek congressional support for paraprofessionals and other school staff A new congressional measure would recognize the critical role paraprofessionals and support staff play in our schools. Read More
December 04, 2023 Illinois members take the wheel on solving school bus driver shortage Learn how an Illinois local solved the problem of school bus driver shortages. Read More
November 22, 2023 AFSCME to Duval County School Board: $12/Hour is not enough to live in Florida Custodial staff at Florida’s Duval County Public Schools seek $15/hour starting pay. Read More
May 22, 2023 ‘Kind, smart and loving’: Connecticut school secretary wins Never Quit award Brooke Carta, a Middletown, Connecticut, school secretary and a member of AFSCME Council 4, is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
March 15, 2023 Florida school custodians awarded back pay, benefits after AFSCME intervenes As many as 1,000 Florida school custodians were denied the proper pay and benefits for years. Thanks to AFSCME, they’re getting what they are due. Read More
December 15, 2022 The union difference in action: New Haven paraprofessionals win extra duty pay increase The union difference is evident in Connecticut, where AFSCME paraprofessionals in New Haven won extra duty pay for working before- and after-school programs. Read More
October 14, 2022 Education support staff in Prince George’s County, MD win new contract, bringing wage increases, bonuses and more. Educational support staff in Prince George’s County, Maryland, won a historic new contract Read More
August 31, 2022 Improve child nutrition programs without delay, AFSCME tells Congress AFSCME is putting pressure on Congress to update federal child nutrition programs soon after lawmakers return from their summer break. Read More
August 22, 2022 ‘She’s the heart of the school’ Discover why Norma Hernandez, a Spanish-language interpreter, is the heart of her Ohio elementary school. Read More
July 25, 2022 Never Quit winner is office assistant who helps keep Hawaii school ‘community oriented’ Suzy Aguirre, an office assistant at Haiku Elementary School in Haiku, Hawaii, and member of AFSCME Local 152, is a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
July 13, 2022 A paraprofessional in a Washington, D.C., school wins Never Quit Service Award Meet the winner of the 2022 AFSCME Never Quit Service Award. Read More
March 28, 2022 Michigan school custodian found a way to make a difference for special education students Don Icenogle, a school custodian in Wyandotte, Mich., and member of AFSCME Local 1055 (Council 25) is a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
January 27, 2022 Never Quit winner provides ‘safe space,’ ‘comfort’ to D.C. elementary school students Saqiyna Gray, a paraprofessional/small group reading specialist at a Washington, D.C., elementary school, is a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
January 05, 2022 AFSCME joins labor push for permanent health standard to protect against COVID-19 AFSCME and a group of unions are pushing the Biden administration to adopt permanent protections for health care workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Read More
December 03, 2021 OAPSE president urges use of federal stimulus money to end school staffing shortages OAPSE President Lois Carson discussed school labor shortages during a webinar put together by the federal Education and Treasury departments. Read More
August 16, 2021 ‘For the love of the kids’: Michigan food delivery driver is Never Quit award winner Diane Rang, a food truck delivery driver for Romeo, Mich., Community Schools is a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
May 26, 2021 After braving the pandemic, Miami-Dade school employees brace for the fall Miami-Dade schools Local 1184 President Phyllis Leflore reflects on the pandemic and plans for the future. Read More
May 05, 2021 ‘When we talk about money being released to schools, how do we ensure that truly helps students?’ American Rescue Plan funding should benefit students and paraprofessionals in District of Columbia Public Schools, member says. Read More
April 27, 2021 ‘This is the first step in getting back to normal’ CSEA member Elizabeth Ramos met with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to highlight the extraordinary work of school support personnel during the pandemic. Read More
April 22, 2021 Rep. Jahana Hayes joins Connecticut AFSCME members in praising benefits of ARP Rep. Jahana Hayes of Connecticut joined AFSCME members to discuss the benefits of the American Rescue Plan. Read More
March 31, 2021 Passage of ARP marks one year of advocacy for OAPSE Federal COVID relief money allowed Columbus Public Schools to hire 68 custodians. OAPSE is making sure more federal funding is available to keep them on the job permanently. Read More
March 26, 2021 How the American Rescue Plan helped Florida’s Shirley Thomas Learn how the American Rescue Plan helped Florida’s Shirley Thomas, a school custodian. Read More
December 16, 2020 Georgia heads back to the polls for Warnock, Ossoff Longtime Atlanta bus driver Quentin Hutchins tells us why it’s so vital to vote for Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in the Georgia runoff elections. Read More
December 08, 2020 New York member, a school bus driver, dies following school bus crash We mourn the tragic loss of CSEA member Andy Sanchez, a school bus driver in New York state who died after a work-related crash. Read More
September 17, 2020 As schools reopen, employees take on more responsibility as they face lack of federal support As a new school year begins during the pandemic, we also need a new leader in the White House. Read More
September 08, 2020 Rochester school employees rally against layoffs among essential workers The school district cited the financial strain of the pandemic and a lack of federal stimulus funding as the reason for the proposed cuts. Read More
June 26, 2020 CT paraprofessionals vote to build power through AFSCME Council 4 COVID-19 shutdown? No problem. In Connecticut, 130 paraprofessionals found a way to form a union despite school closures. Read More
April 29, 2020 Furloughed Florida Member Needs More Than Prayer to Survive Shirley Thomas tells her story of economic insecurity and urges federal aid for state and local governments so she could return to serving her community. Read More
April 02, 2020 A Community’s Greatest Asset During a Pandemic? Try Union Solidarity. AFSCME members are going above the call of duty to keep their communities safe – and are looking out for one another in selfless and inspiring ways as this Kentucky example shows. Read More