NCAE One Voice Rally brings out thousands for fully funding public education

NCAE members rally on May 3 - photo by Deborah Rosenstein

HOPE members from local committees in Pitt County, Charlotte, Fayetteville and Orange/Chatham Counties rallied with school employees, students, parents and community members yesterday to say NO MORE CUTS!

The day started in the morning when UE 150 NC Public Service Workers Union met with legislators in support of NCAE's rally for education funding, as well as the Mental Health Workers Bill of Rights and public employee collective bargaining.

At 3pm hundreds of members and supporters of NC Defend Education met at the NC State University belltower, chanting NO CUTS   NO FEES    EDUCATION SHOULD BE FREE and STUDENT POWER!   WORKER POWER!    PEOPLE POWER!  The student-led group marched to the rally in front of the Legislative Building where they joined thousands of NCAE members and supporters.

Bicentennial Mall was full of people of all ages from all over North Carolina who chanted, danced and waved signs.  Many signed onto the HOPE public employee collective bargaining letter to legislators.  The crowd's energy was high and their signs reflected their need to show legislators that their work and dedication, and the children of North Carolina, deserve our state's commitment and investment.

NCAE specifically called on legislators to maintain the 1 cent sales tax increase (part of the Temporary Tax Package currently in effect).  Rally organizers asked participants to throw in a penny each to be delivered to the Department of Revenue and send the message that we need revenue (not tax cuts) to fund the education our children deserve and maintain the public employees who make it happen.

HOPE worked with the Labor, Faith and Civil Rights Coalition in Defense of the Public Sector to mobilize members for the rally and highlight the need for public jobs and services, and public employee collective bargaining.

N&O article on NCAE's One Voice Rally yesterday (don't miss the photo gallery featuring HOPE members!)