A Message from Jessica Tang

Welcome Back!

By now everyone is (hopefully) settling in for the 2023-2024 school year – teachers, paras, staff, students, and families alike. For our non-school based employees, we hope you are settling nicely into your fall rhythms and routines!

As we head into the fall, it’s a great time to remember just how important our role as union members is in the lives of our students, families and communities we serve. That’s why we continue to highlight our members through AFTVoices. Our latest profile covers the work of Nikki Giraffo, a longtime art educator in Lowell and currently teaching at Lowell High School, who has provided local students a “refuge” to develop their artistic abilities in a safe space, with a hands-on team of mentors. In 2014, she opened the Refuge Art School to expand access to arts education to low-income students. The school provides community-based arts opportunities that not only foster their personal growth as artists, but helps address the varied emotional and educational needs of its students. Read more about Nikki’s work here.

Please consider adding to our collection of AFTVoices by filling out our form. Feel free to share it with other members you think may be interested!!

As you know, DESE has published the MCAS results from the 2023-2024 school year - the first full school year since the end of the pandemic. While the scores may not be surprising considering what you’re seeing in the classrooms day in and day out, it’s disheartening that the state continues to use an accountability system that is obviously not working – one that is punitive toward the students with the highest levels of need, one that only exacerbates the achievement gaps we’re seeing between students in our cities and their peers in wealthier suburbs. Click here for our full statement on these latest results.

Get Out the Vote

On Labor Day, AFT launched a nationwide bus tour – speaking to voters across the country about just what is at stake in this election. The AFT, which has over 450,000 members in battleground states, will be hosting a relentless schedule of community forums, town halls, roundtables, and canvassing and door-knocking events until election day. There is so much at stake for us as educators and union members. You just have to take one look at the AFL-CIO’s Better In a Union site to see how devastating Trump/Vance policies would be for our members—for example, as outlined in Project 2025, the Department of Education would be eliminated and collective bargaining would be banned for public sector workers. For more on how dangerous Project 2025 and a second Trump Administration would be, check out AFT President Randi Weingarten’s recent column, Project 2025: Institutionalizing Trump.

In Massachusetts, we’re focused on two priorities: (1) electing Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to stop the Project 2025 agenda; and (2) passing Ballot Question 2 to address MCAS as a graduation requirement in Massachusetts. The outcome of these races will markedly change the landscape of the labor movement and education – we need to make sure our members are fully informed about the importance of voting for Harris/Walz and Yes on 2 here in Massachusetts.

For Harris/Walz, we are joining weekly Saturday labor canvasses in New Hampshire to talk to AFT members there along with weekly phonebanks to reach AFT members in the swing states that will be critical this election season.

Can you sign up for a shift? Our next phone bank is this Wednesday and we will be hosting them every Wednesday night from now until the election. In addition, we will be having upcoming phone banking opportunities for Yes on 2. By signing up, you’ll get weekly updates on how you can participate in AFT MA GOTV efforts from now until November 5th.

Reading Opens the World Literacy Celebration in Pittsfield!

On Friday, September 20, I joined Pittsfield Federation of School Employees President Christine Bossana, Morningside Community School Principal Nicole Shepardson, and Pittsfield Superintendent Curtis, to celebrate world literacy where we distributed over 900 books for the Morningside students to cherish, love, and keep for years to come! The next week we also joined Mayor Marchetti, and district officials to officially reopen their library.

COMING UP: AFT Massachusetts Fall Conference

We look forward to seeing you at our AFT Massachusetts Fall Leadership Conference on Saturday, October 5 – which is only 5 days away! We have a lot in store this year, our jam packed agenda can be found here! If you want to learn more about how to get involved in your union’s contract negotiations, get more involved in AFT MA activism, meet other members across the state or just learn more about what we are doing statewide, we hope you stop by!

This year’s conference will be held at Nashoba Valley Technical High School, 100 Littleton Road, Westford, proud home of AFT Massachusetts Nashoba Valley Federation of Teachers local 3234! Plenty of parking is available. Please use the Main entrance and follow signage that will direct you to the cafeteria for registration and breakfast.

• 8:30 a.m. - Doors Open and Registration (includes a light breakfast)
• 9 a.m. – Conference Starts
• 12:15 p.m. – Lunch Served
• 2:30 p.m. – Raffle and Conference Ends
• 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Solidarity Action

We hope you consider staying with us from 2:30 to 4 p.m. for our solidarity phone banking.

WEP GPO Update

We are actually seeing some significant positive movement on WEP GPO repeal. It looks like we’ll get to a full House vote for the first time. Last week a discharge petition, meant to force a House vote on the Social Security Fairness Act (HR 82), got the number of required signatures. It is possible for House leadership to delay scheduling; however, we’re hearing that a November House vote is likely. Majority Leader Scalise is even telling local reporters he’ll schedule the vote for November. Please do keep reaching out to your Congresspeople to thank them for their support and to ask them to help get this over the finish line!

Contract Updates

The United Teachers of Lowell recently ratified a new agreement for all four of its units (Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Food Services, and Custodial). The new agreement includes an 11% wage increase over the next three years and some new language on paid parental leave.

The Holliston Federation of Teachers were successful in the passage of a town override held earlier this month that will fund their new contract, which includes an 11% salary increase over the next three years.

And the Salem Teachers Union is poised to ratify their recent historic contract settlement with toplines of an average salary increase of 19% over the next four years. Other changes include Career and Tech Educator parity, more teacher preparation time, and a monumental new paid parental leave and family leave.

Congratulations to these Locals on successful negotiations! We continue to offer support to our Chelsea local, Cambridge library local, Fall River Area local, Boston local and our UMass Grad Student local, along with Greenfield virtual school and Masconomet Tutors in their negotiations.

Lynn and Boston participate In National Walk-Ins

Dozens of unions across the country participated in walk-ins today as part of a coordinated campaign marking the ending of ESSER funds. Lynn Teachers Union partnered with the school district to highlight the fight against the KIPP Charter School seat expansion request that would divert over $24 million dollars from LPS. Boston walked in to highlight their need for a new contract that will codify essential positions that were added with ESSER funds as well as contract priorities of pay equity and special education inclusion done right!

• Daily Item | KIPP opposition out in full force: Concern voiced that charter expansion could cost Lynn $24 million
• 10 Boston | Boston Teachers Union holds rallies amid contract negotiations

Opportunities for AFT Members

Union Women Get it Done Virtual Summit October 1st at 7 p.m. (EST)

Ahead of the debate between Governor Tim Walz and JD Vance, the National AFL-CIO is hosting a virtual women’s summit to push back against Vance’s dangerous and harmful rhetoric about women. You’ll have the chance to dig in deep on the issues that matter most to women and working families and hear from some very special guests. RSVP at this link and share with your networks!

AFT/ASI/SML Civic Education Webinars

AFT Members are invited to join the Shanker Institute for a series of exciting new Civic Education Webinars this fall in partnership with AFT & ShareMyLesson as well as educational partners Generation Citizen and National Constitution Center.

Strengthening our democracy has been a cornerstone of the Albert Shanker Institute since its founding. In partnership with AFT and ShareMyLesson, the Institute is actively creating educational events that examine the intersection of democracy and public education. Please register here.

Right to Read Rally

Saturday, October 19 at 10 a.m.

Plaza facing Copley Square in front of the BPL Central Library’s McKim Building (700 Boylston Street, Boston)

The rally for the 'Right to Read' will feature a slate of speakers (including those from the ACLU Massachusetts and BPL PSA union), a silent read-in, library card drive, voter registration, and other activities. The rain location will be inside the Library at Raab Hall.

Member Benefit Spotlight: Trauma Coverage

Now more than ever, AFT members work hard to educate, heal, help, and serve our communities. Sometimes our own stress is compounded by a personal or workplace trauma; still, we struggle to be fully present for others. Now the AFT is offering a new, free benefit - trauma counseling - to provide help and healing for our members, whenever needed, wherever a member may be.

Retirement Planning Workshops

AFT Massachusetts is hosting a retirement planning workshop on October 21, 2024 at 4 pm via Zoom and all public sector members are welcome!