Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1337485
"In addition to being a financial kick in the pants, it's difficult because being a teacher is my identity and who I am," she says. "I strongly believe that unions need to continue to stand up and fight for what is right and protect their members." Martinez, the chapter president who quit, says that nearly all the teach- ers at her single-school K-8 district were in favor of returning to school. But her chapter members supported her decision to resign, she says, and s h e r e m a i n s f r i e n d l y w i t h t h e m . Families are hurting Wo m e n e d u c a t o r s w h o h av e q u i t or taken unpaid leaves from w ork say they are relying on their savings, spending less, and trying to live on a tighter budget. "We use a lot of natural lighting to cut down on electricity," says Rondeau. "We are not spending as much, and I'm not commuting and driving around, so I'm not paying much for gas. It's difficult financially, but I am allowed to be home with my child. Many families don't have that luxury." Being on a leave of absence has been tough, says Maniscalco, who says that living on her husband's income makes her feel like "a high- tech 1950s housewife" at times. "Our income dropped dramatically, which forced us to cut all nonessentials, but thankfully we had an emergency fund, so we were able to handle my not working for a year. I spent time this "I love my students, but I have to prioritize my family and my mental health." —Tracy Maniscalco, Santa Rosa Teachers Association Educators: The Union Difference I N A R E V I E W of essential workers in May 2020, the Economic Policy Institute summa- rized the benefits of unions in a pandemic, including protection for expressing concerns about unsafe environments, collective bargaining to help obtain PPE and other safety measures, higher likelihood of having expanded leave and health care coverage, etc. (Essential workers were defined as those working in "essential industries," mostly in health care, food and agriculture, and the industrial, commercial, residential facilities and services industry.) The review showed that only 12 percent of essential workers are covered by a union contract, and some of the highest-risk indus- tries — those more likely to employ women, people of color, and low-income workers most impacted by the pandemic — also have the lowest unionization rates, including health care at only 10 percent, and food and agriculture at only 8 percent. By comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in January 2020, the unionization rate was 33.1 percent in educa- tion, training and library services. This means educators have better union protections than other female-dominated industries. " There is no better time to have a union," says the Century Foundation in a June 2020 review of workers' collective power during COVID-19. " They are helping workers survive the pandemic by negotiating safety standards, pay improvements, and contract provisions that help blunt the effects of layoffs, as well as serving as a powerful voice in local, state, and national conversa- tions about workplace issues." Teaching while caring for her children was "not sustainable" for Tracy Maniscalco. She ended up taking an unpaid leave negotiated by her union. rosietheriveter.com 36 cta.org Feature Tracy Maniscalco