The officers of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, President Rick Bloomingdale, and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder issued the following statement of support for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers as they fight for safe schools:
“The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers has been sounding the alarm for years about safety and health conditions in the school buildings. The School District has refused to act transparently and in good faith. There has been no improvement. It is unacceptable to send people into buildings that are unsafe for occupancy. And that is what the Philadelphia School District is trying to do,” stated President Rick Bloomingdale.
“Even more critical than the seriously inadequate condition of the school buildings is the rate of community spread in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The substantial spread of the virus and the addition of new, more transmissible variants is of great concern. Reopening schools is about the communities they serve, and these school buildings are a risk to the community,” remarked Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder.
