AFT Massachusetts Convention

AFT Massachusetts President Beth Kontos and Secretary-Treasurer Brant Duncan are thrilled to announce the winners of the union’s 2024 Distinguished Service Awards.The Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually to AFT Massachusetts members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service and dedication to their local union. Here are this year’s winners: Rose Marie Bergeron - United Teachers of Lowell. Patricia Clark - Holliston Federation of Teachers, Clara Hendricks - Massachusetts Library Staff Association, Keeghan Hughes - Salem Teachers Union, Paul Mailloux - Lynn Teachers Union, Mindy Richardson - Lawrence Teachers Union, Maria Gonzalez Rosa - Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals and Cheryl Travers - Lawrence Teachers Union!

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Every year AFT Massachusetts awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to eligible high school seniors who are dependents of AFT Massachusetts members. The awards, named in honor of former AFT leaders Kathy Kelley, Albert Shanker, and Sandra Feldman, and for long-time AFT Massachusetts Field Representative Jay Porter, are awarded on the basis of a labor history exam administered by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Congratulations to our 2024 Scholarship Award Winners!

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This year’s annual AFT Massachusetts convention was a historic one, as delegates unanimously elected Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang as President of AFT Massachusetts, making her the first person of color and first openly queer person to serve as President of our statewide union. The convention was also a moment to honor the contributions of outgoing President Beth Kontos over the past six years.

“It’s an honor to represent the 25,000 educators, librarians, health and public service workers from across the commonwealth who make up AFT Massachusetts,” President Jessica Tang said. “Our union shares a vision of a state with public schools and colleges that all of our students can thrive in, and libraries and public services that all of our communities can be proud of. Massachusetts should continue to be a model for what’s possible, and I know we can achieve tremendous things when we as union members organize together with our communities.”

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This year, AFT Massachusetts members are celebrating…The Power of We at the 2024 Annual AFT Massachusetts Convention!

When we are united as union members, we can accomplish enormous things. Over the past few years, we’ve seen the impact of our collective power as we worked to pass and implement the Student Opportunity Act, state legislation that is delivering transformative investments in our public schools. We helped build a statewide grassroots campaign to win the Fair Share Amendment, which is now funding education improvements statewide: from providing free school meals for all students and building green schools, to making public college more affordable and rebuilding our transportation infrastructure.

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Help AFT Massachusetts celebrate the service of an educator, librarian, nurse, or school related personnel whose leadership has made our union stronger. Nominations are now being accepted for our 2024 Distinguished Service Awards!
 
The AFT Massachusetts Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually to AFT Massachusetts members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service and dedication to their local union. The 2024 Distinguished Service Award Winners will be honored at the AFT Massachusetts Convention Awards Dinner on Friday, May 3, 2024 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

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Every year AFT Massachusetts awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to eligible high school seniors who are dependents of AFT Massachusetts members. The awards, named in honor of former AFT leaders Kathy Kelley, Albert Shanker and Sandra Feldman, and for long-time AFT Massachusetts field representative Jay Porter, are awarded on the basis of a labor history exam administered by the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Congratulations to our 2023 Scholarship Award Winners: Shalyn Medailleu, John Cavanaugh, Ethan Cliff, Devan Hernandez, Samantha Kimball, Madison Reilly, Declan Hocker, Lily McDonough and Ronan Dowd.

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This year’s annual AFT Massachusetts convention felt like a celebration putting the long, painful COVID-19 pandemic behind us. We didn’t meet virtually, or have to wear masks. Instead, we kicked off the convention weekend with our awards dinner at a new location, the incredible Edward M Kennedy Institute at Columbia Point in Dorchester. Saturday’s main event was again held at the IBEW 103 hall in Dorchester, with over 150 registered delegates in attendance. This year’s theme was “Moving Forward Together,” as we have several important campaigns ahead of us: fully implementing the Student Opportunity Act; ending the failed state takeover/receivership system; fully funding all of our public schools; winning living wages for paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; delivering affordable, high-quality public higher ed for all; and providing fair and affordable public retiree benefits. MORE

AFT Massachusetts President Beth Kontos and Secretary-Treasurer Brant Duncan are thrilled to announce the winners of the union’s 2023 Distinguished Service Awards. The Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually to AFT Massachusetts members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service and dedication to their local union. Here are this year’s winners: Miriam Rodriguez Fusco, Lynn Teachers Union; Sylvaine Lestrade, Boston Teachers Union; Donna Lapierre, Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals; Lauren Snay, AFT Amesbury; Maty Cropley, Massachusetts Library Staff Association; Patricia Nizwantowski, Peabody Federation of Teachers; Phillip O’Connor, Lynn Teachers Union; and Dr. Michael J. Johnson, Berklee Faculty Union! MORE

The past year has brought important changes to the educational landscape in Massachusetts, from the passage of the Fair Share Amendment to the election of a new Governor who is a strong supporter of public education. In this new era, AFT Massachusetts is working to deliver the schools and libraries our communities deserve, the services and staffing our students need, and the workplace protections AFT Massachusetts members rely on. On April 29, convention delegates from across the state will celebrate our victories, discuss the battles we face, and be inspired to act. We’ll welcome new members of our union, celebrate new caucuses, hear about important initiatives, and further develop our collective strength as educators and organizers MORE

Help AFT Massachusetts celebrate the service of an educator, librarian, nurse, or school related personnel whose leadership has made our union stronger. Nominations are now being accepted for our 2023 Distinguished Service Awards!   The AFT Massachusetts Distinguished Service Awards are presented annually to AFT Massachusetts members who have demonstrated an outstanding level of service and dedication to their local union. The 2023 Distinguished Service Award Winners will be honored at the AFT Massachusetts Convention Awards Dinner on Friday, April 28, 2023 at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. MORE