The cost of college increased tenfold since the 1970s. Meanwhile, the top 1% graduate debt-free and politicians continue to choose corporate tax breaks over funding for higher education.

Having college debt could mean having to put off saving for your own child’s college because you’re still paying for your own college debt. Or maybe you are having trouble paying your monthly bills because of a high monthly student loan payment.

Council 4 AFSCME offers a variety trainings and workshops to our members and recently announced several events scheduled for September through December.

Topics include multi-part trainings for Class 1 and Class 2 stewards, a look at the roles and responsibilities of local officers, workers' comp, duty of fair representation, new member outreach for leaders, tips for running an effective meeting, new laws that public sector employers are required to follow, a review of the Freedom of Information Act and a special estate planning workshop for members and guests with lunch provided.

The COVID-19 pandemic arrived at a time when our nation’s health care workers were already experiencing burnout. The National Academy of Medicine, in a report from 2019, said that 35% to 54% of nurses and physicians in the United States had “substantial symptoms of burnout.”

Then things got worse.