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.

President Tang Calls for Key Public Education Investments at Fair Share Hearing

On April 3, 2025, President Tang testified before the Joint Committee on Ways and Means on prioritizing impactful education investments as the state determines how it will spend surplus Fair Share Amendment revenue.

Massachusetts has a unique opportunity to use these funds to protect our kids from some of the damage being inflicted by the federal administration’s ongoing cuts to education funding, while also supporting needed investments in community schools, preschool access, school staffing, and more.

We’re proud to be part of the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition that helped make these funds possible, and to use this opportunity to advocate for the investments our districts need to better provide a quality, accessible public education to all our students.

Trump Administration Terminates $106 Million in K-12 Education Funding for Massachusetts

Trump Administration Terminates $106 Million in K-12 Education Funding for Massachusetts, Funding supported student mental health supports, tutoring, school security and building upgrades (April 1, 2025).

AFT Massachusetts is joining the Healey-Driscoll Administration and Legislative leaders in condemning the Trump Administration’s move to eliminate $106 million in K-12 education grant funding for projects at Massachusetts currently underway.

The U.S. Department of Education notified all states at 5:03 pm Friday evening that they had decided to end the federal Education Stabilization Fund

AFT Massachusetts Sues to Stop Dismantling of Public Education, Lawsuit is first challenge to Trump’s Executive Order (March 24, 2025)

The American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts along with a broad coalition of educators, school districts, nonprofits, and labor unions took legal action to stop the Trump Administration’s attempts to decimate the Department of Education and the critical services it provides to students, teachers, parents, and communities across the country.

The lawsuit – filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts by Democracy Forward – is the first

Fighting for a Dignified, Equitable Retirement

AFT Leading the Charge for Access to R+ (Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan)

For decades, AFT Massachusetts and member locals - including the Boston Teachers Union – have helped members navigate their benefits systems, which can be complex. Whether it be through advocacy, education, or resources, the AFT Massachusetts has been on the frontline of an issue impacting thousands of teachers across the Commonwealth – the Massachusetts Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan, or Retirement Plus.

After working on this for years, we were thrilled when the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation we had been advocating for at the end of last session. Unfortunately, it was not taken up by the Senate in time.