First Mi-DREAM Winner Announced

Amanda Young, a special education teacher from Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District, is the first of four MEA member winners of the MiDREAM contest sponsored by the MSU Federal Credit Union and MEA Financial Services. For being selected, Young receives $250 for herself and an addition $250 for a charity of her choice, Area 9 Special […]

Happy Birthday, Local 1

All seven past and current presidents of MEA Local 1 were on hand for a recent celebration of 41 years since the 1978 formation of the Multi Association Bargaining Organization (MABO) representing more than 5,000 educators in Macomb, Wayne, and St. Clair counties. Leaders, members, and staff from past and present crowded into the organization’s […]

MEA Member’s Viral Post Describes ‘A Day in the Life’

By Brenda Ortega Editor Last Friday was not an unusual day at school for MEA member Amber Guerreiro. Nothing in particular happened to make the middle school Spanish teacher feel frustrated or discouraged. But she came home “overcome with exhaustion,” she said, “and I just broke.” “It was a regular day, like any day, but […]

Apply to Join Redistricting Commission

The application to be on the state’s new redistricting commission is now open—you can apply through June 2020 to be a part of redrawing fairer district voting maps in Michigan. The commission is being formed by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure to end gerrymandering of state voting maps […]

Big Education Issues on Horizon in Lansing

The ongoing budget battle between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and GOP legislative leaders has taken up much of the oxygen in Lansing lately, but several other key issues are bubbling up to the surface at the Capitol. MEA lobbyists expect members will need to engage on legislation that has been introduced or will soon appear related […]

Tell Lansing to finish funding schools for this year

After nearly a month of stop-and-start discussions between the Governor’s office and the Legislature, schools are still without critical funding needed for this current school year. MEA members need to contact all our lawmakers and urge them to reach agreement on supplemental budget bills that fund priorities that were cut last month because of the lack […]

Educator Workforce Solution Summit

You are invited to participate in an Educator Workforce Solution Summit.  Public Policy Associates, Inc. (PPA) is working with the Michigan Education Association, AFT Michigan, and the Middle Cities Education Association to give frontline educators like yourself a chance to share your opinions about policies that will help recruit and retain more educators. PPA is conducting […]

Opinion: Union protects mothers’ right to breastfeed

October 16, 2019 By PAULA HERBART/President – Michigan Education Association  “It’s not just about the mother, it’s about the health and well-being of her child.” That is how Amy Urbanowski-Nowak, president of MEA’s Birch Run local association, explained her fight for one of her teacher members to get the time needed to express breast milk […]

Inequality Brings Union Gains

By Carolyn Moss and Brandon Everest Workers in Traverse City often hear the saying “a view of the bay is half the pay.” On behalf of everyone who experiences the impact, we beg to differ. Employees in Traverse City scorn the notion that location is an excuse for poor pay and poorer working conditions, and […]

MEA Scholarship Opens

The MEA Scholarship application is now open. Interested applicants can find it online at mea.org/mea-scholarship. The application deadline is Feb. 20, 2020. Questions can be directed to Barb Hitchcock at bhitchcock@mea.org or 517-333-6276. To be eligible for the MEA Scholarship, applicants must be a dependent of an MEA member or MEA-Retired member in good standing. […]