Rachel K. Brickner

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Research suggests labour strikes at universities get scant media coverage, both in Canada and the United States. In this December 2022 photo, graduate student instructors and researchers picket at University of California, Berkeley. (AP Photo/Terry Chea)

Why labour strife at universities should concern us all

Andrew Biro, Acadia University; Joseph Hayes, Acadia University, and Rachel K. Brickner, Acadia University

Labour unrest at universities is a matter of public interest. That’s why support for local, independent media outlets to provide in-depth coverage of university strikes is so important.
Quinta Brunson, creator and actor of the show ‘Abbott Elementary,’ uses TikTok to fundraise for school supplies. Although it’s a sitcom, it’s talking about the real-life needs of under-resourced teachers. (Quinta Brunson for ABC)

Should you answer a call to crowdfund our under‑resourced teachers?

Rachel K. Brickner, Acadia University

Gifting teachers through crowdfunding sites may make an immediate difference but can’t compensate for underfunding and inequitable funding of public schools.
A man heads past a clothing store where mannequins sport face masks in Halifax. Retail workers, long-term care workers and teachers say the media has failed to reflect their pandemic experiences. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

To create a better work environment after COVID‑19, we must truly hear employees

Elisabeth Rondinelli, Acadia University; Rachel K. Brickner, Acadia University, and Rebecca Casey, Acadia University

In post-pandemic Canada, the media will play a big role in shaping public understanding of labour conditions. A future of work that is safe and equitable requires the voices of workers.
Teacher activism in the U.S. has helped pushed the Democratic party towards renewed investment in public education. Children listen as former president Barack Obama campaigns for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, Oct. 21, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/ Matt Slocum)

How teachers’ union activism helped shift the U.S. election debate on education

Rachel K. Brickner, Acadia University

The push to expand charter schools in the U.S. contributed to a robust movement of teachers’ unions and allies demanding a well-resourced public school system.

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