President of United University Professions Fred Kowal joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the challenges facing higher education under the Trump administration, the importance of labor unity and strategies for engaging the public on critical issues.
The UUP is the nation’s largest higher education union, representing the faculty and professional staff of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. The UUP is made up of the 29 comprehensive, technical, specialized and university centers of SUNY, which are divided into 32 chapters. The UUP is Local 2190 of the statewide union, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) and the national union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Kowal began by sharing his belief in a deliberate strategy to resist the Trump administration's anti-labor and anti-education policies. He stressed the importance of unions and the Democratic Party reconnecting with working people by focusing on core issues like job security, workplace safety and pathways to the middle class. Kowal said that higher education institutions must become more accessible and inclusive to bridge the growing divide in public opinion about the value of college education.
Next, Kowal explained his organization's response to research funding cuts, which included gathering personal stories from affected researchers and students, holding press conferences and mobilizing public support to pressure Congress. Kowal emphasized the need for this research for public health and national security, warning that the U.S. risks losing its competitive edge if these cuts persist.
Finally, Kowal discussed the formation of Higher Ed Labor United, a coalition of unions representing higher education workers across various sectors. This initiative aims to amplify the voice of higher education professionals nationally and foster solidarity with other labor organizations. Kowal added that the initiative seeks to strengthen resistance against anti-education and anti-labor policies.
Listen to the full episode above to hear more from Kowal on how higher education unions can prepare to handle challenges under the Trump Administration.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
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