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Along with the new gubernatorial administration comes a new legislative session, which means the introduction of numerous education- and labor-related bills.
 
One of the most important is the Thrive Act, which would replace the state’s failed approach to educational assessment and improvement, including the undemocratic state takeover system and the MCAS-based graduation requirement, with policies that will help all students to succeed and thrive. The Thrive Act would establish a modified graduation requirement based on coursework rather than high-stakes standardized testing, and implement a new ‘comprehensive support and improvement’ system designed to empower local communities to give students the tools and resources they need to succeed.

We’re also focused on talking to state leaders about our legislative priorities, which include:
An Act Committing to Higher Education the Resources to Insure a Strong and Healthy Public Higher Education System, An Act to Guarantee Debt-free Public Higher Education, An Act Uplifting Families and Securing the Right to Strike for Certain Public Employees, and two bills to improve educator retirement benefits, including legislation that would allow educators who didn’t properly enroll in the TARP enhanced retirement option to opt in to the program, and legislation that would ensure greater economic security for retired educators by increasing the COLA base and protect retirees from rising healthcare costs.

AFT Massachusetts is a union of professionals that champions fairness; democracy; economic opportunity; and high-quality public education, healthcare and public services for our students, their families and our communities. We are committed to advancing these principles through community engagement, organizing, collective bargaining and political activism, and especially through the work our members do. 

AFT Massachusetts Field Representatives work throughout Massachusetts and duties consist of organizing and servicing locals, preparing, and negotiating contracts, legislative activity, liaison with labor and educational groups, or any other areas of work necessary to advance the interests of AFT Massachusetts as assigned by the president or her designee.. 

With the passage of the Fair Share Amendment, Massachusetts has an opportunity to build a public higher education system that lives up to our values and prepares Massachusetts students to be active, engaged participants in their communities, the workforce, and our society,” said AFT Massachusetts President Beth Kontos. “Students today are struggling with the cost of college and a lack of adequate support services, while adjunct educators struggle with low pay and limited benefits. Our public college campuses have insufficient funding to address crumbling buildings, rising student needs, and staffing shortages. We’re pleased to support the Higher Ed for All campaign to reverse the budget cuts that have occurred over the past several decades, and begin rebuilding a truly public state college and university system.”

“As we move away from the worst of the COVID pandemic, the impacts of over a year away from the classroom are becoming more and more evident,” said Grant O’Rielly, President of the UMass Faculty Federation. “The absence of social contacts with their friends and peers, as well as missing frequent and meaningful interactions with teachers in their classes, have left students ill-prepared as they have returned to in-person learning. This is particularly true in colleges and universities where the need for support services in mental health counseling as well as quality academic tutoring (not just "homework help sessions") has increased significantly.”

The families of Melrose have a right to expect the education and learning needs of their children will be addressed in the public schools. The committed educators of the Melrose Education Association are fighting for their students by demanding progress at the bargaining table on essential classroom issues.
 
The union educators of the Melrose Education Association are acting to secure: Enough planning time to prepare the best lessons possible for their students; Fair and competitive compensation to retain current educators and attract the best new educators; and
Improved working and learning conditions.

AFT Massachusetts stands in support of the Melrose educators receiving fair contracts and calls on school administrators to immediately negotiate contracts that are good for students and fair to teachers.