#redfored

[mostlysignssomeportents]

#RedForEd rides again in LA

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in CHICAGO with PETER SAGAL on WEDNESDAY (Apr 2), and in BLOOMINGTON on FRIDAY (Apr 4). More tour dates here.

The LA Teachers' Union is going on strike.

Fuck.

Yes.

The last time the LA teachers struck was in the midst of the 2019 #RedForEd wave, which kicked off during the last Trump presidency. All across the country, teachers walked out – even in states where they were legally prohibited from doing so. These strikes were hugely successful, because communities across the nation rallied around their teachers, and the teachers returned the favor, making community justice part of their goals.

This was true across America, but it was especially true in Los Angeles, where the teachers were militant, united, relentless, and brilliant. The story of the 2019 LA Teachers' Strike is recounted in Jane McAlevey's essential 2021 book A Collective Bargain, which recounts her history as a union organizer on multiple successful unionization drives and strikes, including that fateful teachers' strike:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/23/a-collective-bargain/

McAlevey learned her tactics from a lineage of organizers who predated the legalization of unions and the National Labor Relations Act. Accordingly, her organizing method didn't rely on bosses obeying the law, or governments sticking up for workers. She fought for victories that were won by pure worker power. The 2019 LA teachers' strike is a fantastic example, a literal textbook case about rallying support from the entire shop – including affiliated workers, like bus-drivers – and then broadening that massive support by bringing in related trades (the LA charter school teachers walked out with their public school comrades), and the community.

The LA teachers' community organizing was incredible. They worked with community groups to understand what LA families really needed, and made those families' demands into union demands. The LA teachers' demands included:

in-school social workers;

parks and green-spaces in or near every LA public school; and

a total ban on ICE agents shaking down parents at the school gates.

Environmental justice, immigration justice, racial justice – these issues were every bit as important to the LA teachers in 2019 as wages, working conditions and vacation pay. And. They. WON.

Not only did the LA teachers win everything they struck for, they built an enduring community organization that ran a massive get out of the vote effort for the 2020 elections and flipped two seats for Democrats, securing Biden's Congressional majority.

So now the teachers are walking out again, and while their demands include wage increases (the greedinflation crisis wiped out many of the gains won in the 2019 strike – though imagine how much worse things would be without those gains!), the demands also include a slate of bold, no-fucks-given, material measures to fight back agains the Trump administration and its fascism:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-03-26/l-a-teachers-union-pursues-salary-hike-progressive-goals-amid-trump-agenda

This time around, the LA teachers are demanding:

"targeted investment in the recruitment and retention of BIPOC, multilingual and immigrant educators and service providers" – that's right, the DEI stuff that makes Trump's incipient aneurysm throb visibly in his temple (keep throbbing, li'l guy, I believe in you!).

"support for, defense and expansion of the school district’s Black Student Achievement Plan and Ethnic Studies" – the same programs that make wrestling faildaughter Linda McMahon get the fantods.

“strengthened policies to support LGBTQIA+ students, educators and staff” – take that, Elon.

"increased support for immigrant students and families, with and without documentation, including support for newcomers" – up yours, Stephen Miller, you pencilneck Hitler wannabe.

Where'd all these demands come from? 665 meetings that solicited input from "students, parents and other community members." In other words, these are our demands – the demands of Angelenos.

Trump is a scab. Musk is a scab. They hate unions. They've put the National Labor Relations Board into a coma, illegally firing a board member so that the board no longer has a quorum and can no longer take most actions. But the tactics the LA teachers used to organize their victory under the last Trump regime didn't rely on the NLRB – it relied on worker power. That power is only stronger today. The NLRB exists because workers built power when unions were illegal. Killing the NLRB doesn't kill worker power. Worker power comes from workers, not the government:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/29/which-side-are-you-on-2/#strike-three-yer-out

Now that Trump has canceled labor laws, all bets are off. Trump is illegally breaking the contracts of federal workers, as a prelude to eliminating unions nationwide. As Hamilton Nolan writes, this is the time to take a stand:

It is unreasonable to run around demanding a general strike every time a single union gets in a hard fight. It is not unreasonable to demand a general strike when the very existence of unions is under direct attack by a government that cares nothing about us, and does not respect our contracts, and is attempting to throw in the trash the union contracts covering hundreds of thousands of our fellow union members, as a step towards doing the same thing to millions more of our fellow union members. This is the bombing of Pearl Harbor, against the labor movement. Will we say, “We are filing a lawsuit against this illegal bombing, and we will keep you all updated as it progresses?” Will we say, “Pearl Harbor is way out in Hawaii. I’m glad those bombs didn’t fall where I live.” These are the terms that the union world needs to be thinking in, right now. This is not an exaggeration. If we do not go to war, the husk of American unions that emerges at the end of the Trump administration will be, probably, about half as big as it was when the Trump administration started, and immeasurably weaker. That is not an acceptable outcome if you believe that increasing organized labor’s strength is the key to saving this country, which it is.

https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/they-are-going-to-take-everything

McAlevey – who died in 2024 – agreed with Nolan. She wrote vibrantly about how union organizing, and the solidarity it nurtures, was the key to a revitalized democracy and a nation that truly takes care of its people, rather than lining them up in billionaires' feedlots.

I gotta go. I'm on my way to a Tesla protest. Maybe you could find one near you to join, too:

https://actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/teslatakedown

But if I don't see you at this one, I'll see you on the picket line – with the LA teachers, the federal workers, and everyone else who's taking a stand against this scab presidency.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/29/jane-mcalevey/#trump-is-a-scab

[wqueens7]

#RedForEd from ⁦‪@LaGuardiaCC‬⁩ (at LaGuardia Community College) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl7vLG7Njsc/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tucson-progressive]

Happy Wednesday! Jim calls this my Star Trek dress. #redfored #azleg @azhousedems @ld9democrats (at Phoenix, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYovrgYlSXHq5A8wVUpOZyaO6RTtkXwP-6aDAM0/?utm_medium=tumblr

[elises-pieces-plush]

Red for Ed face masks are up in my shop! They are adult-sized masks, 100% cotton, one-sided print with adjustable straps.

**5% of each "Red for Ed" mask sale will be donated to the National Education Association**

link is in the source

[mrsricky96]

Today I wore black in support of my friends who are Indiana teachers. #CTU #RedforEd #stamembers #blackout4ed #STA (at Chicago, Illinois) https://www.instagram.com/p/CLtBrZNpABm6xbNoOadlnIV0-lhb4t3QVicrgY0/?igshid=18lty5xiamkqz

[leocurrently]

While in the middle of this pandemic, teachers in the Gahanna-Jefferson School District have not received any contracts nor the proper guidance for students and teachers to come back to school in a balanced hybrid nor distanced situation. Elementary students have had their home room classes changed just within the first two months of the school year. The superintendent made up a plan that goes against what any of the Gahanna-Jefferson contingency teams made over the summer. That is why teachers are on strike in Gahanna, Ohio. Please support these teachers and students for their rights to a safe education. #redfored #red4ed (Gahanna, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVXCJOjQ9w/?igshid=1x9paks0741up

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

Bronx, NYC: Safe Reopening #HealthJustice Rally

Friday, September 18 - 3:30 p.m.

Fordham Plaza, E. 189th St. & 3rd Ave., Bronx

Hosted by MORE UFT

Join community members and school staff at 1 Fordham plaza in the Bronx to demand #healthjustice and a #safereopening of NYCDOE schools. We demand a remote opening for NYCDOE schools until the following needs are met for our students, their families and the teachers staff and their families.1. Mandatory weekly testing- provide testing vans for each district transparent test and trace protocols, PPE must be provided. 2. MERV 13 filters and ventilation problems addressed, repair schools to receive the students. 3. Intense deep cleaning, restoration of and increase to budgets for custodial staff and enough of the proper gear and equipment and supplies 4. Technology and wifi problems and equitable access for all students must be addressed.

[icantalk710]

Wearing some #RedForEd while I work on this, the day before Labor Day weekend (good morning to all the unions whose leaders don’t sell out their rank and file) in solidarity with the teachers, students, and parents saying #WeWontDieForDOE as De Blasio insists on pushing in-person teaching when… *points at pandemic*

Dude’s more than happy to pass a budget overfunding the brutalizing NYPD and defunding education/parks/other useful things, then is all *shocked Pikachu* when there’s pushback on this because said defunding limits how well schools can even prep? 🤦🏽‍♂️ Sign/share @morecaucusuft’s petition to demand in-person school #OnlyWhenItsSafe: https://www.change.org/p/nyc-mayor-bill-de-blasio-and-schools-chancellor-richard-carranza-say-no-to-mayor-bill-de-blasio-s-plan-to-reopen-school-buildings-in-september 🔥🙏🏽✊🏼🔥 (at Bronx, NY) https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuDlLOg8zU/?igshid=1to3rqkuvsezs

[wqueens7]

#RedForEd from ⁦‪@LaGuardiaCC‬⁩ (at LaGuardia Community College) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl7vBT3tDAZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tucson-progressive]

Arizona House Democratic women are fighting for your rights and well-being today as we debate the Republicans' fiscally irresponsible budget. We are wearing red today for education, and black for the budget! @arizonalist @pimadems @azhousedems @ld9dems @azhousedems #redfored (at Phoenix, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQhg9jSh7R3Qj0aLoAXD0TpFCOczErecazY0100/?utm_medium=tumblr

[motionphics]

#Covid19 #mentalbreak #redfored #teachershoutout #hcwshoutout (at Reserve, Louisiana) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fiHUTApP6/?igshid=1e2bu95e4d0l7

[markprocras]

Aaaaand, we're back!! Walking out FOR your kids!! #osstf #osstfd12 #redfored #onpoli #onted #NoCutsToEducation #oecta #etfo (at Queen's Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9W3Z8lh-Fk/?igshid=1atramkyy3cxi

[fuckyeahmarxismleninism]

New York City: Safe Reopening #RedForEd Rally

Wednesday, September 16 - 3:15 p.m.

Union Square, 14th St. & Broadway, Manhattan

Hosted by MORE UFT

Join community members and school staff to demand #healthjustice and a #safereopening of NYC public schools.

We demand a remote opening for NYCDOE schools until the following needs are met for our students, their families and the teachers staff and their families.

1. Mandatory weekly testing- provide testing vans for each district transparent test and trace protocols, PPE must be provided.

2. MERV 13 filters and ventilation problems addressed, repair schools to receive the students.

3. Intense deep cleaning, restoration of and increase to budgets for custodial staff and enough of the proper gear and equipment and supplies.

4. Technology and wifi problems and equitable access for all students must be addressed.

[wqueens7]

#redfored Or #themasqueofthereddeath (at LaGuardia Community College) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9pcN65hevR/?igshid=7ttmkq31amsz

[brainvomit]

Betsy DeVos be like