“Your union is strong, both financially and operationally!” said J. Philippe Abraham, NYSUT secretary-treasurer, in a Saturday RA address. “Your union’s continued financial strength means you can count on us to be here for you whenever you need us.”
Noting the statewide union’s many initiatives to celebrate diversity, and be a champion for change, equity and inclusion, he saluted the work of the union’s LGBTQ and Civil and Human Rights Committees and NYSUT’s ongoing Many Threads, One Fabric program series.
Abraham also discussed the ongoing implicit bias trainings being conducted statewide by a cohort of activists. “I urge all of us to continue to work toward social justice in our classrooms, our schools and our communities,” he said. “Let’s unite in our commitment to equity and fairness for all.”
Through the NYSUT Disaster Relief Fund, our sponsorship of the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, and participation in First Book and NYSUT Member Benefits programs, the statewide union has continued to strengthen communities and improve members’ lives, added Abraham.
“To date NYSUT’s Disaster Relief Fund has received over $3.2 million dollars in contributions and they have supported direct grants to more than 4,500 NYSUT members,” he said noting that members have also collected almost $17 million through breast cancer walk events. “Thank you NYSUT delegates for your partnership in the labor movement … and thank you for putting your trust and confidence in me as your NYSUT secretary-treasurer!”