AFT Massachusetts | AFT Stateweb

PreK-12 Teachers

More than 1 million members strong, the AFT's Public Education unit has become a major force for preserving and strengthening a national commitment to reclaiming the promise of American education. It all began more than 100 years ago: A group of Chicago teachers, reasoning that theirs was a noble profession, organized themselves to share resources and build respect for the invaluable work they were doing. Those early efforts led to the birth of a national teachers union in 1916 that has been in the vanguard of every major advancement in American public education ever since.

Higher Education

The AFT represents higher education faculty (including both full- and part-time), professional staff and graduate employees, in all sectors of higher education—public and private, two-year and four-year institutions of higher education. The AFT Higher Education division's mission is to help our affiliates and their members prosper in the face of political, economic and technological forces challenging the most basic assumptions about the union's role on campus.

Public Employees

As a union of professionals, AFT Public Employees division is committed to improving the quality of government services we provide to our communities. Reclaiming the promise of high-quality public services is about fighting for first-rate public services that our support communities and keep them safe, healthy and vibrant. It’s about fighting to ensure that our communities’ tax dollars are properly invested back into the community, and that those resources are used responsibly and safely. Finally, it’s fighting to make sure public employees are well-prepared and supported so they can provide our communities with the high-quality services the public needs and deserves.

Paraprofessionals & School-Related Personnel

The AFT has organized paraprofessionals and school-related personnel since the early 1930s, when the first PSRP affiliate, the Education Secretaries of Chicago, was founded. Today, the AFT PSRP division sets a foundation for high-quality education by supporting meaningful professional development, promoting health and safety in the workplace, and demonstrating the importance of a strong and just work ethic in a bully-free environment. Most important is its commitment to safe and welcoming schools and colleges for students who deserve high-quality food programs; reliable school buses; clean, secure buildings; efficiently run offices; and well-trained staff.

Spotlight: Berklee Faculty Union Contract Campaign

Berklee Faculty Federation November 2025

Since June, the Berklee Faculty Union, AFT Local 4412 has diligently negotiated a new, three-year contract with better pay and expanded opportunities for its members.

“In essence, this contract is giving faculty the fair pay and support they need so they can focus on providing their students with the educational opportunities and mentoring they deserve,” said Berklee Faculty Union President William Silvio.

In addition, the BFU’s new contract includes the largest-ever conversion of part-time positions to full-time, with 13 positions converting annually, resulting in 39 full-time positions over the course of the contract.

“Our members made it clear they wanted this agreement to balance their own well-being with that of our students and community. It’s no surprise that students from around the world come here to study with such a remarkable group,” said Berklee Faculty Union Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Shryock.

“We are proud of our work to secure this new contract, which takes into account the high needs of our students and ensures our educators receive the pay, benefits, and respect that not only reflects the caliber of their work, but is comparable to those offered in sending districts,” said NECEF President Babz Carrapichano. “Consistency and reliability are huge factors in any child’s ability to learn, but especially so for the high-needs students we serve. This contract will reduce turnover and make sure that when there are openings, we can attract the highly-skilled educators our students need.”

"Prior to the new contract, our department was struggling to maintain staffing, as we were not even close to matching what was being offered for positions that are in high demand, but with a national shortage of qualified people," said Mollie Maxwell, a Teacher of Students with Visual Impairments, who also served as a member of the bargaining committee. "The contract we secured has made a clear impact, as we are now able to work on expanding our staff to serve the needs of the many students with visual impairments across our own programs, as well as our member communities. This will make all the difference for the districts we serve and their educational teams, and allow students to access the services they so desperately need and deserve!"

Join leaders, building representatives and rank-and-file members from across AFT Massachusetts for the AFT Massachusetts Fall Conference! You will gain new tools and resources to help engage your members, continue to strengthen your local to meet the moment and fight for our students, our members and our communities. There will be workshop offerings on growing membership density, role of building reps, safe school communities for immigrants, how to create a rapid response and mobilization structure, and more!

Who: AFT leaders and activists
When: Saturday, November 22, 2025 - 8:30 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Norfolk County Agricultural School located at 400 Main Street in Walpole, MA

Registration and breakfast will begin at 8:30 am. Lunch will be provided. The conference will end by 3:00 pm, followed by cider and donuts from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Register today!

Scholarships for AFT Families

Along with our union siblings, the AFT Massachusetts is committed to supporting the next generation of trade unionists to build a stronger tomorrow for all working families of the Commonwealth.

That’s why we award thousands of dollars in scholarships each year to eligible high school seniors who are dependents of AFT Massachusetts members. Scholarship awards are based on an applicant’s results on a labor history exam administered by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and honor former AFT leaders Kathy Kelley, Albert Shanker, and Sandra Feldman, and long-time field representative Jay Porter.

The labor history exam focuses on teaching our children about the history of unions and about groups of people who fought for better wages and protections.