SUPPORT THE JAN. 30 GENERAL STRIKE

If you can't walk out, here are some ways to support the Nationwide General Strike.

Educators have always stood at the heart of movements for justice. When our communities are under attack, when our students’ families are living in fear, and when peaceful protesters and civilians are killed in broad daylight, silence is not an option. The nationwide General Strike on January 30, 2026 is a call to collective action in response to the ongoing DHS and ICE raids terrorizing immigrant families and communities, as well as the killings of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Silverio Villegas González, and Keith Porter Jr.

Many UFT members are not able to walk off the job; and for the safety of many of our students, we shouldn’t. However, a general strike is not only about leaving the workplace. It’s about coordinated disruption, solidarity, and refusing to participate in business as usual while injustice continues.

Below is a practical guide for educators who can’t walk out but want to support:

1. Financial and Consumer Actions: Use Your Spending Power Strategically

Even if you’re in the classroom today, your economic choices still matter.

Avoid Unnecessary Spending

The General Strike seeks to disrupt normal economic activity.

• Skip non-essential purchases for today.

• If you must buy something, choose local small businesses rather than large corporations.

Support Strike Funds and Mutual Aid

Many workers participating in the strike will lose income.

• Contribute to strike funds supporting affected workers. Many small and local businesses participating in the strike have set up donations for their employees. Find your favorites and support them.

• Donate to mutual aid groups providing food, transportation, or emergency support to immigrant families. mutualaid.nyc and wearenewyorkvalues.org are great resources for connecting with different groups.

Pause or Cancel Subscriptions

If you subscribe to companies that have taken anti-worker or anti-immigrant positions, consider pausing those services for the day, or canceling those subscriptions permanently. Amazon, we’re looking at you.

Use Cash Instead of Cards

Cash transactions reduce the data footprint that corporations rely on to measure consumer activity, as well as reducing revenue for large financial institutions generated by credit card purchases. Even if just for today, use cash instead.

2. Digital and Political Advocacy: Take Action From Your Phone or Laptop

If you can’t be physically present, your voice still carries weight.

Contact Elected Officials

• Call your congressional representatives and demand an end to funding for DHS and ICE raids.

• Use tools like 5Calls.org or Resistbot to streamline the process. Better yet, make direct calls to your elected officials. You can find their contact info here: NYC.gov

Write Letters to Local Newspapers and News Websites

Educators’ voices carry credibility. A short letter explaining why you support the strike can reach thousands.

Amplify the Message on Social Media

• Change your profile picture or banner in solidarity.

• Share educational posts explaining the purpose of the strike.

• Sign and circulate petitions.

• Engage in comment sections to counter misinformation.

Your digital presence can help shift public understanding and build momentum.

3. Logistical and Community Support: Strengthen the Movement Locally

Even small acts of solidarity make a difference.

Help Others Participate

• Offer rides to picket lines or protest sites.

• Provide childcare for colleagues or community members attending demonstrations.

• Drop off essentials, coffee, hot cocoa, and/or snacks to strikers.

Show Visible Support

• Place signs in your apartment window or inside your classroom.

• Join a picket line, rally or march after school.

Connect with Local Immigrant Defense Groups

Many neighborhoods have rapid-response networks or legal aid organizations. Reach out and ask what they need.

4. What Educators Can Do Inside Their Schools

Talk with Coworkers

Solidarity grows through conversation.

• Discuss the strike’s goals.

• Share resources about the ongoing raids and killings of civilians.

• Encourage colleagues to participate in whatever ways they can.
  

5. Remember Why This Matters

Today’s General Strike is a collective refusal to accept a climate of fear, violence, and dehumanization. As educators, we see firsthand how immigration raids tear apart families, destabilize classrooms, and traumatize children. Standing with our communities on January 30 is an extension of the work we already do every day: protecting our students, defending their dignity, and fighting for a world where they can learn and live without fear.

Whether you can walk out or not, you can participate.

Whether you can attend a protest for hours or take five minutes at lunch or after school to make a phone call, you can contribute.

YOUR SOLIDARITY MATTERS.

UFT members have always been part of the broader struggle for justice. Today is another moment to show that when our communities are under attack, UFT members show up, TOGETHER.