Paraprofessionals & school-related personnel

No one working a full-time job should be paid so little that they cannot afford to feed themselves, put clothes on their back, see a doctor, or keep a roof over their head. Fair wages for work should extend to every workplace and every working person.  Too many school and college support staff make less than a living wage for the areas in which they live.  This toolkit is designed to provide local AFT affiliates and their members with tools, training and supports to develop a living wage campaign tailored to the specific political, economic, and social conditions found in their state or local school system.

Respect is something that every worker should feel. Education workers work hard and support our students, our public schools and by extension, our communities. This toolkit includes strategies and tactics to help raise the profile of the work we do as school and college support staff as well as engage in collective action to win the respect we all deserve.

Work shouldn’t hurt! Staff and students should be able to go to school without fear of being hurt or attacked. Employers have a duty to protect workers and to provide a safe and healthy workplace free from harm.   As a union we have the collective power to address safety in a cohesive and meaningful way. This toolkit explores different ideas, strategies, and tactics on the local, state and national level to help ensure that workers get what they need to do their jobs safely.