Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1508868
IN SOLIDARITY by Marisol Garcia AEA OFFICERS Marisol Garcia President Angela Philpot Vice President Amber Gould Treasurer AEA STAFF Randy Parraz Executive Director Emily Kirkland Editor Roxanne Rash Graphic Design Advertising e AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602- 264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887. Email: Emily.Kirkland@ArizonaEA.org. AEA's website may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. e AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Moving? Please let us know before you go. Simply clip your mailing label from the back of the Advocate and send it along with your new address to: AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532 Marisol Garcia, President Arizona Education Association Dear AEA, What an incredible few months for the American labor movement! Our red hot union summer has become a red hot union fall. Baristas, hotel workers, autoworkers, journalists, Teamsters, actors, writers and so many others voted to authorize strikes. Hundreds of thousands of people ultimately hit the picket lines, including our fellow union educators in Camas, WA, Evergreen, WA and Youngstown, OH. 71% of Americans now say that they approve of labor unions—the highest level in decades. Here in Arizona, 3,386 new union siblings joined us at the start of this school year, a pace of growth we haven't seen in years. Our power as organized workers is growing. And thank goodness, because the past few months have also brought stark reminders of why we ght. For us, that includes the constant disrespect thrown our way by Superintendent Tom Horne and the recent news that more than 50% of new K-12 education spending in Arizona is going towards private school vouchers. In face of huge workloads and low salaries, 70% of our members now say they're likely to leave the profession earlier than planned. We deserve better. And organizing together, day in and day out, is the only way we're going to get it. Yours in solidarity, 4 ADVOCATE | FALL 2023