In 2023, Minnesota became the first state to extend summer UI eligibility to school support staff, which led to these workers receiving nearly $40 million in unemployment benefits. In 2024, Oregon followed suit. 🧵4/6

Despite being critical to the success of US education systems, K-12 support staff are paid low wages and have inadequate hours. Given these low wages, it is no wonder that school districts have had a difficult time recruiting and retaining school support staff since the pandemic. 🧵3/6

“Instead of punishing workers for wanting to serve in public schools, states should follow Minnesota’s lead by providing school support staff with unemployment insurance benefits during the summer,” says EPI's @dskamper.bsky.social. 🧵2/6

As a new year school year starts, remember that school support staff (aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers) endured months without pay during the summer. MN & OR are the rare exceptions where support staff can collect unemployment insurance in the summer. 🧵1/6 www.epi.org/publication/...

Summer unemployment benefits could increase K–12 support staff incomes by $1.2 billion nationwide

Instead of punishing workers for wanting to serve in public schools, states should follow Minnesota’s lead by providing school support staff—who are disproportionately Black and brown, women, and olde...

Also: Tennessee For All, a coalition of impacted West Tennesseans, is pushing for a Community Benefits Agreement with Ford to ensure that the majority Black agricultural communities of the region share in the benefits of the company’s subsidized EV venture. 🧵5/5

But this isn’t stopping workers and communities in the South from demanding a different path forward. For example, workers at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee voted to join UAW in May. 🧵4/5

When workers form unions, they can bargain collectively to improve their wages and conditions. Southern policymakers and employers know this, so they do everything they can to prevent workers from organizing, including union busting and passing right to work laws. 🧵3/5

Auto workers are paid less in the South than any other region. They also report high levels of illness, injury, and even death. And eroding worker safety laws across the region will only make workplaces less safe. 🧵2/5

As auto manufacturing jobs move from the Midwest to the South, job quality in the sector declines. This is thanks to policies that disempower workers and are #RootedinRacismwww.epi.org/publication/...

Southern economic policies undermine job quality for auto workers: Rooted in Racism and Economic Exploitation: Spotlight

Summary: The growing auto manufacturing industry in the South offers a powerful opportunity to bring good jobs to the region. But as these jobs shift from the Midwest to the South, we see a decline in...

Back to school unfortunately means back to a lack of diversity among teachers in the classroom. Here's why that matters especially for education policy, academic outcomes, and students of color. #econskywww.epi.org/blog/improvi...

Improving teacher diversity is key to reducing racial disparities in academic outcomes and addressing the teacher shortage

There is a well-documented shortage of qualified candidates willing to teach in public schools at current compensation levels. But there is also a relative shortage of Black, Hispanic, and Asian-Ameri...