Members of UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 once again walked behind their banner Saturday, June 27, in the 2026 Northwest Arkansas Pride Parade, joining hundreds down Fayetteville’s Dickson Street and witnessed by thousands.
The Local 965 approaches behind its red banner, as part of the 2026 Northwest Arkansas Pride Parade on June 27. Photo by Denise Garner.Hershel Hartford, president of UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965, leads union members in the 2026 Northwest Arkansas Pride Parade in Fayetteville on June 27. Photo by Denise Garner.Members of UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 once again join the 2026 Northwest Arkansas Pride Parade in Fayetteville on June 27. Photo by Denise Garner.
“Pride Month is observed each June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprising in New York City, when demonstrations following a police raid at the Stonewall Inn helped galvanize the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. June was first federally recognized as Pride Month in 1999 by President Bill Clinton,” according to the report.
“This weekend creates space for people to be seen, to be celebrated and to be connected to one another,” Mayor Molly Rawn was quoted as having said. “That deserves to be celebrated, not just this evening and not just tomorrow, but all year long.”
Here in Arkansas, we are witnessing a coordinated effort to devalue our profession and undermine public education and higher education, the very cornerstone of our democracy.
Hershel Hartford, Local 965 president
More than 50 members of several Northwest Arkansas union locals, of Indivisible NWA, the Washington County Democratic Party, NWA Democratic Socialists of America, supporters of workers and a fair number of children attended the annual Labor Day picnic of UA-Fayetteville Education Association and the Northwest Arkansas Labor Council (AFL-CIO) Monday evening, Sept. 1, 2025, at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park.
The 2025 Labor Day picnic welcome and address from Hershel Hartford, president, UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 on Sept. 1 at Veterans Memorial Park:
Hello, everyone! It’s absolutely fantastic to see all of you here today. I want to extend a special welcome and heartfelt thanks to our partners in solidarity: The Northwest Arkansas Labor Council AFL-CIO, the DSA, and NWA Indivisible. It’s a true honor to be with you as we break bread and build community at our annual Labor Day picnic.
Local 965 President Hershel Hartford delivers the 2025 Labor Day message. Photo: Ben Pollock
Today is a day of rest, but let’s be clear: it is not a day to rest from our purpose. This day represents a hard-won victory, achieved through the courage and sacrifice of those who came before us — people who marched, organized, and fought for the rights we often take for granted: the 40-hour workweek, workplace safety and the fundamental right to have a voice.
We gather today not just to honor that legacy as a historical lesson but to recognize it as a living inheritance that we are duty-bound to protect and expand. And make no mistake — this inheritance is more critical now than ever. To quote Franklin Delano Roosevelt, “Labor Day symbolizes our determination to achieve economic freedom for the average worker, which will give their political freedom reality.”
Right now, we find ourselves in a moment of intense pressure. Economically, inflation and the rising cost of living are eating away at our salaries, making it increasingly difficult for dedicated professionals to build a life in the communities they serve. Socially, we are in a nation grappling with profound questions of equity and justice, struggles that have always been deeply intertwined with the labor movement’s pursuit of fairness and dignity.
Politically, here in Arkansas, we are witnessing a coordinated effort to devalue our profession and undermine public education and higher education, the very cornerstone of our democracy. When tenure is threatened, when curricula are politicized and when resources are siphoned away from public institutions, it’s not just our jobs on the line — it’s our future.
This is where our union, the UA Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 of the AEA and NEA, becomes our collective strength. We are the first line of defense for academic freedom. We are the unified voice demanding fair compensation and benefits that recognize our expertise. We are the community that rallies around each other when challenges seem insurmountable.
The pioneers of the labor movement did not win their battles in isolation. They triumphed by joining hands and demanding better. Today, their spirit is alive and well in us.
So today, we do more than celebrate. We send a powerful message to our local, state, and national leaders, as well as every candidate running for office: we are watching, we are organizing, and we are voting. We call upon you to stand with labor. Stand with educators. Stand for fair wages, the right to organize, and a public education system that is fully funded and free from political meddling. Your support must translate into action—not just words!
Let’s leave here today with a renewed sense of purpose. Let’s remember that our work—as educators, as union members, and as allies in the fight for justice—is not just important; it’s essential. Let’s stand together, prepared for the battles ahead, to ensure that our university, our community, and our state continue to be places of opportunity, innovation, and justice for all.
Thank you, and happy Labor Day!
These organizers, candidates and elected officials broke bread with area workers and gave brief speeches.
President Walter Hinojosa of the Northwest Arkansas Labor Council (AFL-CIO) speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
President April Reisma of the Arkansas Education Association speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
State Rep. Denise Firmin Garner, D-District 20 and a candidate for Arkansas Senate District 30, speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Diana Lawrence, a Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 3, speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Max Deitchler, a Democratic candidate for Arkansas House District 20, speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Jamie Atkinson, a Democratic candidate for Arkansas House District 19, speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Dana Deree, a Democratic candidate for Washington County Judge (county executive) speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Judge Diane Warren of Division 8 of the 4th Judicial District of Arkansas (Washington and Madison counties), running for re-election, speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Lisa Parks, a candidate for prosecuting attorney of the 4th Judicial District of Arkansas (Washington and Madison counties) speaks Sept. 1, 2025, at Labor’s Labor Day picnic at Fayetteville’s Veterans Memorial Park. Photo: Ben Pollock
Asteroid Destroyer, the new kitten of Zoe North and Jadon North, was a special guest at the picnic.
Our strength lies in our unity — our ability to come together, organize, educate and advocate.
Local 965 President Hershel Hartford
More than 50 people enjoyed burgers, hot dogs and fixin’s at Thursday’s May Day / Workers’ Day / National Day of Action 2025 picnic at Veterans Memorial Park hosted by UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 and the Northwest Arkansas Labor Council (AFL-CIO). The assembled heard from state Rep. Denise Firmin Garner, D-Fayetteville, state Rep. Diana Gonzales Worthen, D-Springdale, and Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn. Preceding them was 965 President Hershel Hartford with the following:
National Day of Action
Dear Friends, Fellow Workers and Esteemed Guests,
Today, as we gather here in celebration of International Workers’ Day, we honor the vital contributions of every worker who has fought and continues to fight for justice, equality and the dignity that all labor deserves. This picnic is not merely a social gathering — it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to the values that unite us, particularly in these challenging times.
As we reflect on the current climate — not only in Arkansas but across our nation — we must acknowledge the persistent threats to our fundamental rights and the very fabric of our democracy. The administration’s ongoing attacks on K-12 education and higher education put our future at stake. These are not just institutions, they are the bedrock of our society, nurturing knowledge, critical thinking and informed citizens. We cannot allow political agendas to jeopardize our children’s education, nor can we stand by as workers face hostility and oppression that denies them fair treatment, respect and opportunity.
The rights of workers, immigrants and marginalized communities are continually under siege. We have witnessed policies that erode due process, undermining the very principles that safeguard our liberties. But let us remember, the struggle for justice and truth is never an easy path, nor a short one. History tells us that every victory, every inch of progress, has been hard-fought and earned through the relentless dedication of people like you —passionate, brave, and unyielding in the face of adversity.
Local 965 President Hershel Hartford listens to state Rep. Denise Firmin Garner at the union’s 2025 May Day picnic. Photo by Ben Pollock
Today, I urge each and every one of you to remain active and vigilant. It is our collective responsibility to advocate for policy changes that enhance the rights of all workers. In this ongoing struggle, we must stand together, not just for our own rights but for the rights of all our brothers and sisters — those who toil in the shadows, those who come from different nations seeking a better life and those who dare to dream of a brighter future for their children.
Let us use our voices and our votes to protect public education and uphold the right to a quality education for every child. Let us demand fair labor practices that respect the dignity of our work and ensure a living wage for all. Let us extend our solidarity to immigrant communities who enrich our lives and our workforce. Together, we can build coalitions that amplify our causes and challenge the forces that seek to divide us.
As we stand at this crossroads, we have the opportunity to redefine what justice, truth and democracy mean for our society. We must harness our collective power to create a future where freedom is not merely a promise, but a reality for everyone. Our strength lies in our unity — our ability to come together, organize, educate and advocate.
So, let us celebrate our achievements, but let us also recommit ourselves to the work that lies ahead. Let every action we take echo with the clarity of our purpose: to protect and advance the rights of every worker, to defend our democratic institutions and to ensure a just and equitable society for generations to come.
Together, we rise. Together, we claim our future. Together, we will not be silenced.
Thank you for being here today. Thank you for your continued activism. Let’s celebrate our strength and prepare for the work ahead. Happy May Day!
Local 965 President Hershel Hartford opens the 2025 May Day picnic as NWA Labor Council President Walter Hinojosa (from left), state Reps. Diana Gonzales Worthen and Denise Firmin Garner, and Blake Rutherford listen. Photo by Ben Pollock
Staff Appreciation Picnic
Then on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, representatives of Local 965 and the Arkansas Education Association ran a booth on the Fayetteville UA campus at the well-attended annual Staff Appreciation Picnic hosted by the Staff Senate.
Local 965 board members Rachel Piontak (from left) and Michael Pierce and 965 Vice President Ben Pollock take questions from University of Arkansas staff workers May 14 at the 2025 Staff Appreciation Picnic on the Fayetteville campus. Photo by Summer Lollie
AEA Zone 1 UniServe rep Renee Johnson (from left), Local 965 Vice President Ben Pollock and 965 board members James Kelly and Michael Pierce ready their booth May 14 at the 2025 Staff Appreciation Picnic of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Photo by Summer Lollie
UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 was represented at the 29th annual Freedom March of the Northwest Arkansas MLK Council. With temperatures in the low 20s, the march was retrofitted into an auditorium sit-down program on the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
Union members were among the estimated 200-plus audience members to hear a couple of traditional songs, an invocation and a reading of King’s final speech “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” by four men and a woman.
For Local 965, a key moment was that the audience held its ovation after the speech reading ended. With no prompting the crowd stayed silent for a long moment, in reflection, until the emcee encouraged applause.
Members of Local 965 were among a couple hundred adults and students observing the indoor Freedom March Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Fayetteville’s Theatre Squared.
The Northwest Arkansas MLK Council hosted several events over the holiday weekend including an address in conversation format by best-selling author and Vanderbilt sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson at its 29th annual Recommitment Celebration Program on Jan. 18 at Fayetteville Public Library.
Two leaders of UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965 were invited to deliver lectures at the Arkansas Education Association’s 2024 Summer Leadership Conference. It was held on Zoom on Friday, June 14.
Local 965 Executive Board member Michael Pierce gave a two-hour lecture on “The Rise and Fall of Labor Liberalism in Arkansas,” then 965 Vice President Ben Pollock presented an hour on “Media Strategy: Today’s Best Tools.”
AEA allowed qualified participants on the call live to receive professional Continuing Education Units on these talks. CEUs won’t be granted to people viewing these recordings. Nonetheless, these are interesting and helpful!
Michael C. Pierce, Ph.D., traces the role of organized labor in Arkansas’s political arena from the start of World War II through Bill Clinton’s election to the presidency more than 50 years later. He argues that a coalition of trade unionists, civil rights activists and urban liberals remade the state in the 1950s and 1960s by opening up the state’s political system to working class voters. These voters, in turn, ushered in the most progressive era of reform in the state’s history — protecting consumers, empowering African Americans, making the wealthy pay their fare share of taxes, enacting a minimum wage, increasing government transparency and protecting worker safety. This brief period of reform came to an end by the late 1970s as the men whom the labor-black-liberal coalition put into office cozied up to the state’s economic elite. (Note: This recording begins a few minutes into the lecture.) Michael Pierce is associate professor of history at the University of Arkansas. He received his A.B. from Kenyon College and his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. He is author of “Striking with the Ballot: Ohio Labor and the Populist Party” and co-editor of two volumes, the most recent being “Race, Labor, and Violence in the Delta: Essays to Mark the Centennial of the Elaine Massacre.” His essays have appeared in “Journal of Southern History,” “Labor History,” “Agricultural History” and several edited volumes. Pierce has won multiple teaching awards, including the John E. King Award for Outstanding Service, Outstanding Faculty Member Award, Fulbright College Justice and Ecology Award, Connor Endowed Faculty Fellowship, Fulbright College Master Teacher and the OMNI Center for Peace Fulbright Justice and Ecology Award. He serves on the Executive Board of UA-Fayetteville Education Association / Local 965
In lots of ways, we’ve had digital media at our full disposal for a good 3 decades. But we’ve gotten smarter as have the apps – they’re easier and even cheaper, too. Ben Pollock takes a 2024 look at websites, social media, mass emails and engaging local news media through the lens of how the University of Arkansas AEA chapter organized opposition earlier this year to an administration plan to privatize some 200 custodial and groundskeeping employees. These employees got to keep their seniority and benefits. Ben Pollock, a former career journalist, has been website manager since 2016 for the University of Arkansas College of Education and Health Professions. He is vice president of UA-Fayetteville Education Association/Local 965. A graduate of Stanford University and a native of Fort Smith, Ben has a 2003 master’s in Journalism from the UA. He was the 2010-2012 president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and remains an officer of its Education Foundation. Ben lives in Fayetteville.
UA-Fayetteville Education Association 