Today, (Feb. 5, 2021) is the 28th anniversary of the Family Medical Leave Act. It is the first bill that Fmr. Pres. Clinton signed into law.
Congressman William D. Ford (Bill to many of us) was among the #FLMA architects & in 1993 represented Taylor, Mich.
A 🧵👇🏾1/8
We know now (almost 3 decades later) what Bill knew then—that even with such bold, progressive legislation that aimed to help working people have time to care for themselves & their families that it didn’t go far enough. 2/8
I’m not just guessing this. When Bill was still alive, he told me & my husband so during one of our many conversations after he’d retired from Congress. 3/8
The whole concept of the #FMLA was so good then that other countries have since made their own leave policies that go much further, leaving the U.S. as one of 2 major nations w/o a #PaidLeave policy that protects all workers.
And to paraphrase what Bill says in this CSPAN video from the #FMLA bill signing, because of what was done in November, Congress can take the bold steps to enact #PaidLeaveforAll.
We’ve learned from covid that having #PaidLeave would’ve helped many be able to care for themselves & their loved ones w/o the sacrifice of paycheck or health. Congress knew too, but the emergency covid paid leave expired in December. It’s time to make it a reality for all. 7/8
It’s time to go beyond #FMLA and make Paid Leave a reality for all. #FMLA28 /end
Note: One small correction.
Bill Ford represented Taylor in Congress until the end of ‘92. Because of redistricting, 1993 was the first year that he did not.
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It’s crazy to think that it has been exactly one month since the riot & siege on the Capitol by domestic terrorists. An actual month has gone by. A 🧵👇🏾
And 2 days ago the House voted to remove MGT (who—similarly to others—pedaled in the conspiracy theories that led to it) from her committees—as pretty much everyone now knows. And *only* 11 congressional GOP members voted to remove her from committees. Only 11. 2/11
That’s 199 members who are okay with someone who (among other things) shared a meme of a noose with these words superimposed:
“If we want to make America great again we will have to make evil people fear punishment again.”
There’s been a lot on my mind lately as we grapple and contend with the recent events over the past months occurring in Michigan & last month in D.C.
You know what’s coming: A 🧵👇🏾
Not going to lie—it’s been traumatizing. Part of me thinks it’s foolish to admit that because there are those for whom that is the point. 2/17
The cruelty of perpetuating the trauma—retraumatizing people and communities of color is the point. But we can’t change or fix it if we don’t talk about the elephant in the room. So talk I must.🗣 3/17
Let me take off my earrings and address this nonsense. Y’all wanna play? Let’s play.
Yes, @MISenate, I’ll be glad to reduce my salary AND yours from $71K/year before taxes to $53,250/year before taxes when you do ALL of the following: 🧵
1.Take the exact amount that you spent last year in lawsuits challenging the Governor—what was it, something like $500K—on life-saving covid19 protocols and put that amount directly into the pockets of the restaurant workers. Not the owners’ pockets—the WORKERS pockets 2/x
2.Pass legislation that raises the wage of tipped workers to a goddamned LIVING WAGE. 3/x
CommUNITY PSA for parents/guardians: (Long, but please read.) A thread.
The next few weeks of the COVID-19 school hiatus are going to be a challenge for us all. I’ve got 2 school-aged kids, so I’m in the thick of this with you. Unlike some though, 1/___
Unlike some though, I have a background in Ed.) Here are some tips & resources (take them or leave them) that you may find useful.
First & foremost, check with your school, your child’s teacher(s) (children’s teachers) & district for their plans over the next few weeks & 2/___
follow that guidance. Your kid’s (kids’) teachers are also vested in making sure their kids stay up-to-date.
However, if you’re looking for other ideas & inspiration, here are some useful tools. 3/___