From a researchers perspective, we desperately need more research dollars into nontoxic options for PPE. Similar to PFAS alternatives, the need has always been there to develop these materials but federal dollars have not been.

The common reasoning against striking is that workers can just quit.

However, a teacher for example, is given their summer pay as a lump sum at the end of the year instead of being distributed through their working hours. In practice this means that teachers who leave before the school year's end lose 25% of their yearly pay. This would be similar to if you quit your job, 25% of your pay was held as a punishment. No private employer would get away with this.

This traps teachers financially and forces them to work through the school year. When they do quit, new teachers are unwittingly put into the same unreformed system. The new teachers are not tenured and won't be able to voice any disagreement without fear of repercussion furthering the lack of change.

To the public, no loss of service is immediately noticable. But the system is rotting.

Striking is a tool to break through the necrosis caused by stagnant administration and local government.

Striking is a fundamental worker's right as is collective bargaining.

Pushing against these rights directly led to the toxic chemical spill in Ohio.

You cannot make the problems of a system go away by stripping away worker's rights. All you will do is make it illegal for them to protest when our children or they as workers are being mistreated.