The union today supported Dr. Miguel Cardona for the Secretary of Education.
USW International President Tom Conway wrote to the U.S. Senate, "given his previous position as an adjunct professor, we are confident that he understands the growing challenges facing both students and workers in the higher education field. From higher education’s excessive and problematic reliance on part-time adjunct faculty to other issues that substantially affect the quality of academic instruction and degrees, we are confident that Dr. Cardona is the best candidate to address the issues confronting higher education in our country."
Here is the full text of the letter, which can be downloaded for printing here:
Via Email
February 4, 2021
U.S. Senate Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Senator:
On behalf of the members of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW), I write to support the confirmation of Dr. Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education.
Our union represents a wide variety of workers in the education field on the elementary, secondary, college, and university levels. From educators to bus drivers to cafeteria workers, our members educate our country’s children, deliver them safely to school, and ensure that they receive the nutritious food they need in order to learn. Both before and throughout the COVID-19 crisis, our members and their students have faced extraordinary challenges, and we believe that Dr. Cardona, a former union member, will work collaboratively to guarantee that our nation’s students and schools are able to thrive in the current environment and beyond.
As a former teacher, principal, and adjunct professor, Dr. Cardona has the firsthand experience necessary to lead the Department of Education in a new and promising direction. We are confident that Dr. Cardona will prioritize the safety of students and school personnel, and ensure that all of our students and our schools have the resources necessary to achieve their full potential.
We believe that Dr. Cardona will fight for equity at all levels of education, making certain that the promise of education, including higher education, is accessible to all. We are confident that he will work to address the growing student loan and student debt crisis, helping to ensure that all Americans can experience the dignity of work without the burden of unbridled debt. Given his previous position as an adjunct professor, we are confident that he understands the growing challenges facing both students and workers in the higher education field. From higher education’s excessive and problematic reliance on part-time adjunct faculty to other issues that substantially affect the quality of academic instruction and degrees, we are confident that Dr. Cardona is the best candidate to address the issues confronting higher education in our country.
Our union looks forward to working with Dr. Cardona to address the challenges in our education system and to ensure that every educator, child, and member of the school community has the tools that they need to allow American schools to recover and grow. USW urges you to confirm Dr. Cardona as the new Secretary of Education.
Sincerely,
Thomas Conway International President