HELU Blog

The March in March: California 2025 pushback against higher ed cuts

From Geoff Johnson, Part-time Faculty Rep California Community College Council (CFT) and CTA/CCA Part-time Faculty Issues Committee Chair For those outside California, know that the pushback on cuts to higher ed is happening. A mass rally and march, the March in March, will be taking place on March 4th, 2025 in Sacramento. The march will […]

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Celebrating the Transformative Success of Minnesota’s North Star Promise Program

Jenna Chernega, Ph.D, President of Inter Faculty Organization (IFO), Winona State University Thanks to Minnesota’s new North Star Promise program, enrollment in public and tribal higher education is increasing for the first time in over a decade. This initiative, which the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) and other unions organized hard to win, was implemented in

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The Case for Campus Labor Councils: Strengthening Our Voice Against Challenges

From Brendan McGovern – President, United University Professions, Binghamton As we prepare for the incoming Trump administration, the challenges ahead for unions and higher education are likely to intensify. The formation of Campus Labor Councils (CLCs) is an essential strategy to build unity, reinforce our collective power, and protect our rights. By joining forces, campus

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Italian FLC watches our Nov 5 election with concern (report from before the election)

From Bill Shields, retired Chair of the Labor and Community Studies Program at HELU member AFT Local 2121, City College of San Francisco. The Italian education union, the Federazione Lavoratori della Conoscenza, (FLC) went on a 1-day strike on October 31, with demonstrations, sit-ins and flash mobs in 40 cities. Bargaining on a national basis

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Roadshow Report: October 2024

From Ian Gavigan, HELU National Director In October, HELU launched its Higher Ed for All Roadshows in two battleground states: Pennsylvania and Michigan.  On October 17 at the Community College of Philadelphia, several dozen higher education workers took part in the conversation from six different unions, including HELU member unions the Faculty and Staff Federation

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The HELU Statement of Unity from Unions in Higher Ed: A commitment to act together and an element in a long-term strategy

From Helena Worthen, Chair, HELU Media & Communications Committee On September 16, 2024, HELU held a press conference in Philadelphia to celebrate the release of a Statement of Unity. The statement lays out progressive higher ed policy for the next presidential administration. The statement is signed by 12 national unions and labor organizations including the

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HELU Chair Mia McIver’s Remarks at “Labor for Higher Education” Press Conference

The following remarks were delivered on Monday, September 16 at the press conference held at Community College of Philadelphia to announce the Statement of Unity. My name is Mia McIver. I teach as a contingent faculty member at UCLA. I serve as the elected chair of Higher Ed Labor United. HELU is a nationwide coalition

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AAUP is Changing, Moving to Join the Growing Higher Education Labor Movement

From Mike Budd, United Faculty of Florida NEA/AFT/AAUP/AFL-CIO The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) is becoming more of a labor union and less of an old-fashioned advocacy organization, with new, more activist leadership, influenced by increased organizing in the higher education labor movement, and moving to counter more authoritarian management by higher education bosses. 

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