ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Washtenaw Community College and the Washtenaw Community College Education Association (WCCEA) teachers union have agreed to one-year extensions for two current contracts. The extensions delay contract renegotiations for both the WCCEA master agreement and the part-time adjunct teaching contract until 2022 and 2023, respectively. The contract extensions were unanimously ratified by the WCC Board of Trustees at its October meeting last week. In a release from the Ann Arbor college, WCC President Dr. Rose B. Bellanca thanked faculty. Almost 70 percent of union membership voted, according to WCCEA President Dr. Julie Kissel, who said that support was “overwhelmingly positive.”

ANN ARBOR, Mich. As students, parents, teachers and school administrators get ready for the upcoming school year, many are concerned about the safety of returning to in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those most concerned are Ann Arbor Public School teachers, who feel unsafe about returning to their classrooms in the fall. Through a social media post on Tuesday, July 14, the Ann Arbor Education Association detailed its concerns and urged the school district to continue with remote learning. The teachers union outlined issues like physical safety of staff and students, cleaning and sanitizing practices, mask compliance, substitute teachers, access to personal protective equipment and social distancing. In summary, we are saying we do not feel safe and that there need to be more concrete protections, comprehensive protocols, and more thorough planning in place for students and for staff, the post said.

Detroit teachers union wants more input on DPSCD back-to-school plan. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566.