A number of AFT-Wisconsin's constituency councils -- workers in the Wisconsin Technical College System, the University of Wisconsin System, and Wisconsin state agencies -- have issued statements related to COVID-19, relating to both reopening policies and the budgetary effects of the pandemic. All refer to issues that public employees might wish to consider, and can provide guidance and standards to advocate for in your specific workplace:
- AFT-Wisconsin and WEAC's Joint "Safe Return to Work" Platform for the Wisconsin Technical College System: http://wi.aft.org/sites/default/files/article_pdf_files/2020-05/safe_return_to_campus_platform.pdf
- AFT-Wisconsin's Higher Education Council has endorsed the following two documents:
AFT, "A Plan to Safely Reopen America's Schools and Communities: Guidance for imagining a new normal for public education, public health and our economy in the age of COVID-19": https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/covid19_reopen-america-schools.pdf
Accessible Campus Action Alliance (2020), "Beyond 'High-Risk': Statement on Disability and Campus Re-openings": https://bit.ly/accesscampusalliance
- AFT-Wisconsin's State Employee Council Statement on COVID-19: http://wi.aft.org/sites/default/files/article_pdf_files/2020-07/aftw_sec_on_covid-19.pdf
At the national level, see AFT's "path to safely and responsibly reopen school buildings and other institutions crucial to the well-being and economic vitality of our communities," which the AFT-Wisconsin Higher Education Council has endorsed (see above):
- "A Plan to Safely Reopen America's Schools and Communities: Guidance for imagining a new normal for public education, public health and our economy in the age of COVID-19": https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/covid19_reopen-america-schools.pdf
In addition to these statements, AFT has provided a number of guidance documents regarding the pandemic, including by constituency. They are gathered here: https://www.aft.org/coronav%C3%ADrus
PK-12 leaders may wish to know that Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction also has a web page on COVID-19: https://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/2019-novel-coronavirus
See in particular their document "Education Forward: Reopening Wisconsin Schools," which DPI calls "a guidance document for Wisconsin district and school leaders to use as they plan for a safe, efficient, and equitable return to school for the 2020-21 school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic": https://dpi.wi.gov/sites/default/files/imce/sspw/pdf/Education_Forward_web.pdf