Congratulations to President Donna Jackson, Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local 2350, for receiving the inaugural Ruby Newbold award at this year's AFT PSRP Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Donna has served as DFP president for the past 13 years, having started her career in the district in 2005. The DFP represents paraeducators, noon hour aides, and school culture facilitators in the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Upon receiving this award, Donna says she was so surprised and honored. What makes this even more special is the connection between Donna Jackson and Ruby Newbold. Both women served as presidents of their locals within the Detroit Public Schools at the same time. The award was created to honor the late Ruby Newbold and her dedication to advocating for the most vulnerable students and the school employees who supported them. It's clear that President Jackson shares that passion as she is committed to fighting for what our students need and what our union brothers, sisters, and siblings deserve.

COMPLETING YOUR RETIREMENT FORMS

DFT unit members planning on retiring at the end of the 2022-2023 school year should complete all of the forms related to retirement by May 1, 2023.  These forms include:

1.  A Separation from Service Form (SFSF) found on the District's Hub. 

Please remember that in order to be paid for illness days upon retirement from DPSCD, eligible employees must submit a SFSF to the District's Human Resource office (HR) no later than May 1, 2023 and retire effective July 1, 2023 (or August 1, 2023 if working during the month of July).

The SFSF should be emailed to HR (hr.records@detroitk12.org) by May 1, 2023. The "effective date of separation" on the SFSF should be listed as June 30, 2023 (or July 31, 2023 if working during the month of July.

Eligible employees meeting the May 1, 2023 deadline will be paid $45 for each unused illness day in their bank for days 1 to 100 and $65 for each unused illness day in their bank for days 101 to 200 for a maximum payout of $11,000. Payout of illness time upon retirement does not include a payout from the catastrophe bank. (To calculate the number of illness days in one's bank, divide the number of illness bank hours by eight [8].)

2.  The pension application forms found on an employee's miAccount with the Michigan Office of Retirement Services (michigan.gov/orsschools).  (Click on the menu item "Ready to Retire", then the box that says, "Apply for Retirement", and then follow the instructions.)

3.  The application forms for Social Security (if eligible) and Medicare (if eligible) found on Social Security's website (ssa.gov).  (This website is separate and unrelated to the Michigan Office of Retirement Services' website and an employee's miAccount.)

Questions about retirement can be directed to the DFT's retirement counselor, Patrick Falcusan, at the union office, 313-875-6783. at any time during the year.

In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times  column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

 Please read this letter of agreement regarding stipends for coaches for the United Special Olympics.

Kudos to Vice President, Robin Jennings, for speaking on behalf of our union for repealing Right to Work in Michigan. Please share this video with your family and friends. Michigan wouldl be the first state in the country to repeal Right to Work. 

MIchigan Teachers Support Repeal of Right to Work

Last Thursday, Donna Jackson, President of the Detroit Federation of Paraprofessionals, Local  2350, Lincoln Stocks, President of the Eastpointe Federation of Educators, Local 698, Detroit Federation of Teachers, Local 231 President Lakia Wilson-Lumpkins and activists Dwan McGrady and Nastassia Szpaichler offered testimony in support of HB 4044. HB 4044 repeals PA 54 which freezes any step increases, makes employees fully responsible for healthcare increases, and prohibits retroactive pay if a collective bargaining agreement expires before a new one is reached. The members effectively highlighted other issues impacting educators from the various prohibited subjects of bargaining, the privatization of support staff and the limitation of some bargaining rights for DPSCD teachers. Their testimony set the stage for a future slate of bills that will restore the rights of educators across our state and address the critical teacher shortage we are facing. We will continue to work with our allies to ensure our members can make their voices and experience heard as these bills move through the legislature. 

Funeral Service Announcement for Ruby Newbold

Here are the results of the DFT Election which were announced at the end of the March 2023 General Membership Meeting. 

one (1) vacancy on Executive Board

• Gavin Buckley 26
• Stephen Conn 22
• Rachele Green 39
• Kwesi Matthews 4
• Kimberly L. Mitchell 69

Kimberly L. Mitchell was declared the winner in this race. She will be sworn in at the April General Membership meeting.

three (3) positions on the Election Committee

• Cheryl Constantino 21
• Hope Gibson 42
• Theodosia Gulley 21
• Tamika Merchant 87
• Jacqueline Robinson 93
• Queen Watkins 102

The three members who were elected to the Election Committee are Queen Watkins, Jacqueline Robinson and Tamika Merchant. They will be sworn in at the April General Membership meeting.