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PFT CBA Website August 2025 PNG

 The contract will cover four years, beginning on September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2029. Over the course of the contract, educators will see increases to their salaries that take into account the true cost of living and other fiscal realities residents across the region face. For the 2025-2026 school year, educators will see an 8 to 12 percent salary increase, with a three percent annual increase over the remaining three years of the contract.

“This is a fair contract for the teachers of Peabody, one that is competitive to ensure we’re able to retain and recruit the educators our students deserve,” said PFT President Mike Hawes. “Throughout this process, we maintained a positive and open working relationship with the administration, which allowed us to deliver a stronger, more inclusive contract than we’ve seen before.”

“Peabody benefits when our schools are more equitable and inclusive, for both our students and our educators,” continued Hawes. “Creating stronger, more supportive workplaces for our educators results in stronger classrooms that take into account the specific needs of our students. This contract is a win for teachers, for students, and for the entire community.” 

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NBFP Contract August 2025

As educators across the state gear up to return to school, the paras in New Bedford are off to a stronger start.

In July, the New Bedford Federation of Paraprofessionals secured a new, three-year contract for its members featuring strong salary increases across-the-board, ratification and retention bonuses, and stipends.

"This contract recognizes the important role paraeducators play in classrooms across New Bedford," said Nancy Furtado, who has worked as a paraeducator in the city for 25 years. "On top of across-the-board pay raises, this contract includes ratification and retention bonuses and stipends for paras working with high-needs students. By having strong leadership and an engaged Superintendent, we were able to win big things for New Bedford paraeducators."

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March with AFT Massachusetts in Boston's first-ever Labor Day Parade!

Labor Day 2025

We know, we know…we don’t want to think about the end of summer, either. But we need to talk about Labor Day!

We’re proud to partner with our union siblings at the Greater Boston Labor Council, the MA AFL-CIO, and more for Boston’s first ever Labor Day Parade! Unions and working families across the country are facing unprecedented threats—but in the labor movement we know that the best antidote to these attacks is SOLIDARITY.

This Labor Day, we're marching for our unions, our rights, our democracy, and working people everywhere. Will you join us?

Labor Day 2025: March with AFT Massachusetts!
Monday, September 1
9:30am-12:30pm
From Massachusetts State House to City Hall

September 1 will be a Labor Day that brings together unionists and allies in celebration of our values, our commitment, and our solidarity with working people everywhere. We know it’s better in a union and better for our communities when our unions are strong!

Bring your family, bring your friends! Stand with labor in the morning, and still make it to your neighbor’s cookout in the afternoon! Is there a more perfect way to celebrate *our* holiday?? Sign up to march with AFT MA today!

Equity and Dignity in Retirement

By a vote of 158-to-0, the Massachusetts House of Representatives today passed critical legislation to bring more equity and dignity to the retirement of some of the state’s longest-serving public school teachers. Filed by House Assistant Majority Leader Alice Peisch and Representative Rob Consalvo,  An Act relative to benefits for teachers would allow teachers hired before January 1, 2001 a one-time opportunity to buy into the Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan (TARP), also known as Retirement Plus, after thousands of eligible teachers were not able to successfully enroll in the program over twenty years ago.

“From teachers on maternity leave to teachers dropped from the program with no notification, the roll-out of Retirement Plus continues to impact the lives of teachers across the state nearly a quarter-century later,” said American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “We are grateful to Assistant Leader Peisch for her commitment to providing educators the equitable and secure retirement they deserve. We look forward to the Senate taking action this session so that this issue and the educators impacted by it can get the debate in that chamber that they deserve.”

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