Capitalist Crisis in Higher Education (9/17/2023) - by Jacob BilskySpringfield, MA Higher education in the United States is in crisis. Faculty, staff, and graduate students work precarious jobs for low pay as the cost of living rises. Meanwhile, Supreme Court decisions to stop student loan forgiveness and affirmative action, as well as universities raising tuition, make college education increasingly inaccessible to working-classContinue reading "Capitalist Crisis in Higher Education"
“ISG in Action” in Educator Unions (8/11/2023) - by ISG members in the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) MTA educators, members of the largest union in New England representing 115,000 members in 400 locals, are fighting back through a wave of contract battles and illegal strikes against underfunding, inadequate staffing levels, and wages that trail behind record-high levels of inflation and student debt. ISGContinue reading "“ISG in Action” in Educator Unions"
No Future for Youth Under Capitalism (9/27/2022) - by Ashley Rogers Young people today are feeling increasingly trapped by the capitalist system. The over 3.5 million high school graduates in America this year are in a precarious position. The minimum wage remains at $7.25 an hour nationwide—with it, the skyrocketing cost of living. In some areas, jobs are forced to pay $15/hr, butContinue reading "No Future for Youth Under Capitalism"
Interview: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Graduate Workers Unionizing (8/11/2022) - Photo: Unionizing WPI graduate workers with WPI- Graduate Workers Union (WPI-GWU) out in solidarity with unionizing baristas at the Worcester Starbucks. Photo by Claire Bayler ISG interviewed Jake Scarponi, a graduate student worker at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts. Jake studies Materials Science and Engineering, and is part of the effort to formContinue reading "Interview: Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Graduate Workers Unionizing"
Biden breaks student loan promises and ends payment freeze (8/3/2022) - by Char Scott Millions of Americans have benefited from the student loan freeze implemented during the start of the pandemic, and many rightfully demand forgiveness for all student loans. Higher education should be a right, but it’s prohibitively expensive for most of the working class. Moreover, the huge costs of attending college are growing worseContinue reading "Biden breaks student loan promises and ends payment freeze"
Education in Crisis: A Conversation Between Educators (4/21/2022) - Emery A., a union paraeducator in Saco, ME recently spoke with B, a union public school IT worker in Worcester, MA about the current work conditions in public education. Both are members of ISG. E: Many educators across the country have spoken out about severe staffing and resource shortages which have been worsened by theContinue reading "Education in Crisis: A Conversation Between Educators"
Meet a Socialist – January/February 2022 (1/20/2022) - by Sam Skinner This article was originally published in Socialism Today, the paper of the Independent Socialist Group. Subscribe to the paper to receive each issue in print and read the articles before they’re published online! For most young people, it’s impossible to pretend that capitalism works. From disastrous wars for profit to the climateContinue reading "Meet a Socialist – January/February 2022"
Independent Socialist Group 