John,

It feels like I say this every year, but it’s especially true this year. Every week—every day on the calendar—should be teacher, nurse and public employee appreciation week.

As we celebrate Public Service Recognition Week, May 2-8, Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3-7, and National Nurses Week, May 6-12, I often joke that this is AFT member appreciation week. But seriously, I want to stop and take a moment to reflect on the year we’ve had.

This year, you have saved us. You have kept your students engaged and fed. You have kept your patients as safe as humanly possible in a pandemic. And the services you provide—from public health to public safety—have kept our communities going. You are on the frontlines, not just of this COVID-19 pandemic but of every crisis we have faced.

AFT healthcare members risked their lives to see us through one of the deadliest years on record. As the pandemic began and it became clear there wasn’t enough personal protective equipment, I was shocked our federal leaders at the time didn’t do more to secure PPE for healthcare workers. The AFT stepped in, purchasing millions of dollars’ worth of PPE for healthcare workers, in addition to fighting for workplace safety on the picket lines. Our entire nation owes healthcare workers a debt of gratitude, and, especially during this National Nurses Week, we thank you.

Teachers and school staff turned on a dime last spring to begin teaching remotely. We knew from the beginning that in-person learning was better for students, and that’s why we immediately began laying out a blueprint for how to reopen school buildings safely. You moved mountains to begin the process of rebuilding our schools to be places where educators and staff want to work, parents want to send their kids, and students can thrive. Yes, there are some trying to politically throw shade, but we know that safety is the pathway to reopening school buildings and keeping them open. I hope the nation shows the gratitude you are due during this Teacher Appreciation Week.

Public employees have kept our country moving throughout this pandemic. When so many people began working from home, public workers kept us safe, connected and protected. You have inspected work sites, guarded facilities, conducted research, transported lifesaving materials, and made sure our state and local governments continued working. Thank you.

Your union has your back. It’s not just about thanking you; it’s about fighting for the policy and conditions you and your families need so you can thrive.

We worked so hard to help pass the critical American Rescue Plan, which, in addition to direct payments to individuals, provided billions in state and local aid, saving the jobs of thousands of public employees, nurses, teachers, school staff and higher education professionals. It also included dedicated funds that are being used to help ensure schools are safe as they continue to reopen. But we’re not stopping there.

Biden has proposed the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan, which we strongly support. Both are bold pieces of legislation that will invest in our schools, our hospitals, our colleges and our public employees. We’re also working directly with the administration on creating safety standards for healthcare workers, to make sure hospitals do what they need to do to keep you safe during this pandemic. And we’re fighting hard for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, so more of us have access to unions. And that’s just the beginning.

Whether it’s our advocacy for democracy and voting rights, for jobs and justice, or for dignity for you, I promise you that, together, we will keep lifting you up.

The work you do matters, and we’re all better off for it.

Happy Public Service Recognition Week, Teacher Appreciation Week and National Nurses Week!

In unity,

Randi Weingarten

AFT president