Even during what is shaping up to be a very busy campaign season, AFT Massachusetts is all hands on deck for our locals and to ensure workers across the Commonwealth get the benefits, respect, and protections they deserve. We are excited to announce that we have some new AFT Massachusetts union siblings: employees at the Peabody Essex Museum are unionizing with AFT MA! Last week, Peabody Essex Museum Workers United delivered a petition to recognize their union to Acting Executive Director & CEO Kurt Steinberg, signed by a supermajority of staff. Over the last year, workers have built power through conversations with every single PEM staff person across multiple worksites and cities. We are proud to support PEM workers in their efforts to unionize for a stronger, fairer workplace. Click here to learn how you can support PEM Workers United!

We’re also maintaining our active presence on Beacon Hill—speaking with elected officials, staff, and policy leaders about key priorities that we must get over the finish line before next session. Those discussions continue to be fruitful, as we saw when the close-out budget passed by the House last week included $1 million we’ve been advocating for to support and expand our Community Schools (known in Boston as Hub Schools) throughout the state. This follows the announcement for Boston Mayor Wu at her State of Schools speech that BPS will be expanding Community Hub Schools to five more schools!

Like you, we’re anxiously waiting for key bills to come out of conference committee or a vote, including Retirement Plus legislation and the economic development bill, which features a number of AFT Massachusetts priorities (ENOUGH Act, retirement equity for parenting teachers, Protect Labor Act, DRIVE Act investments, and a commission on the role of adjunct faculty). We continue to advocate for Retirement Plus across many avenues, and are heartened to see the level of activity on the bill in its conference committee—this is a great sign. We understand how critical timing is when it comes to these bills, especially Retirement Plus, and continue to advocate with both branches for swift passage. We remain confident that we will see these signed into law before the end of 2026. 

AFT Massachusetts continues to advocate both for a commission and statewide regulations to address the role of AI in schools and the safety concerns involved with this technology. We have been working with a number of organizations, including giving input into the Student-First AI Policy. For more resources on AI, check out aft.org/ai.

We have just one week left to make an impact in what will be one of the most critical midterm elections of our time. We have an opportunity to elect candidates who will fight for our union members, our families, and the communities we serve, and pass (and defeat) key ballot questions. It’s time for us to vote and ACT to ensure we have pro-labor leaders representing us at all levels of government and a Commonwealth that works for working people.

Read on for how WE can make a difference in this election and beyond.

First, we VOTE! Haven’t voted yet? Check out the AFT Massachusetts 2026 Voter Guide, which includes important information on union-endorsed candidates and the five key ballot questions that AFT Massachusetts has taken a position on. You can vote early now through Friday, October 30. Find your early voting location and times here.

Did you vote by mail? That’s wonderful! Have you checked the status of your ballot? If you requested a mail-in ballot but have not dropped it in a ballot box yet, it must be received by 8 pm on November 3. Find your local ballot drop box! 

Then, we ACT! Once you have a plan to vote on election day or are confident your mail-in ballot has been received and counted, join us to help get out the vote here in Massachusetts and beyond. Don’t let your Halloween weekend morph into a scary post-election season.

As we say at AFT: we care, we show up, we vote. Those are our superpowers. Now let’s take action and win big this Tuesday!

2026 Elections Bulletin:

• Vote! Early through 10/30, by mail, or on Election Day. Use the 2026 Voter Guide to make a plan to vote! 

• Take action to get out the vote with us in the final week!

• Pledge to mobilize with our union if the election is threatened

Take Action: 

• Take the pledge: Join us to elect labor champions & defend our democracy!

• PSRP members: Take the PSRP Survey today!

• Join AFT MA’s Activist List today!

• Become an AFT Democracy Defender!

• Join AFT’s Count Me In!

Upcoming Events: 

• 10/29: Virtual Midterms Election Phone Bank

• 10/29: Marshal Training

• 10/29: Western Mass Get-Out-the-Vote Rally with Team Massachusetts

• 10/31-11/1: Canvass with Maine AFL-CIO for Troy Jackson

• 10/31-11/1: GOTV Canvass in Taunton for State Rep. Lisa Field

• 11/2: Virtual Ballot Question Phone Bank

• 11/3: AFT MA Election Night Phone Bank & Returns Party 

• 11/12: AFT MA Election Rapid Response Town Hall

• 11/16: Labor, Unions and Democracy Forum

It’s go time!! With just one week left, let’s leave it all on the field. 💪

There are three things we’re asking everyone to do:

1. Cast your ballot!!
2.  
   • Voting early? You only have til this Friday to early vote!
   • Voting by mail? Drop your ballot off by 8pm election day.
   • Whether you plan to vote early, vote by mail, or vote in-person on election day, the 2026 Voter Guide has everything you need. Do not pass go without casting your ballot!
3. Take an action in the final week with AFT MA! 
4.  
   • Make calls to swing states with us this Thursday
   • Knock doors with Maine AFL-CIO this Saturday and Sunday for Troy Jackson
   • Make calls to AFT MA members about critical ballot questions on Monday
   • Join us for an Election Night phone bank and watch party at the AFT MA office!
5. Pledge to mobilize with our union if the election is threatened

We’re working hard to win—but just as important as electing labor champions and winning key ballot questions is ensuring that the results and validity of our elections are upheld. We’ve been planning with fellow unions and community groups for months. Sign the pledge to mobilize at your worksite, in your community, or in downtown Boston if certain red lines are crossed and our elections are threatened. We’ll communicate directly about how we’re mobilizing and when.

DON’T FORGET! There are five key ballot questions to vote on!! 

MA voters will see nine ballot questions this fall—five of which would be especially impactful for our union and our communities. Learn more about AFT Massachusetts’ endorsed positions on upcoming ballot questions and why these issues are so important for our union with our ballot question guide!

If you do one thing today: sign up to take action in the final week of the election!

Head to mobilize.us/aftma for our full schedule of upcoming actions. If we each take one action, we can do big things together.

PSRPs! Take this year’s AFT MA PSRP Survey!

We’re already looking ahead to 2027—a big year for bargaining and the start of a new legislative session. We want to hear from you, our PSRP members, about your work experience! Your feedback and experience is essential as we prepare to draft and prioritize legislation and collective bargaining agreements that support PSRPs. PSRP members: please take five minutes to complete the 2026 PSRP Survey by December 1. Thank you for participating!

Become a Democracy Defender 💪

Democracy Defenders are AFT members committed to helping voters get the information, support, and protection they need to cast their ballots and have them counted. Can we count on you? Learn more and sign up today!

Join AFT’s Count Me In!

Sign up to be part of the AFT’s 2026 political program for information about trainings, events, volunteer opportunities, and ways to take action. Sounds great, right? Count Me In!

• Mayor Wu focuses on progress and pride in second annual address on schools - WBUR

• Boston Teachers Union: Wu, Skipper deliver State of Boston Schools - Bay State Banner

• States would have no control over federal school voucher program under Treasury guidelines - Bay State Banner

• Don’t fall for Trump’s voucher scheme, Governor Healey - Boston Globe [paywall]

• Advocates urge Healey to opt out of Trump’s education tax credit, warn of ‘substantial negative impact’ on public schools - Boston Herald

• Lynn Teachers Union: Immigrants, long part of Lynn’s fabric, now feel under siege - Boston Globe [paywall]

Thursday, October 29: AFT MA & BTU Virtual Midterm Elections Phone Bank

Join as we connect with fellow union members and their families in swing states to get out the vote for critical elections across the country! Every call helps strengthen our union's voice and builds power for working people. RSVP to join!

Thursday, October 29: AFT MA Marshal Training

Prepare to protest safely by learning about rapid response protest safety and how to be a marshal. Then join AFT Massachusetts & Boston Teachers Union marshal pool to help keep our community safe! RSVP today.

Thursday, October 29: Western Mass Get-Out-the-Vote Rally with Team Massachusetts

AFT Massachusetts and Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals will be joining for the Western Mass rally with Sen. Ed Markey, Gov. Maura Healey & Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, and more! Sign up to join us!

Saturday Oct. 31 & Sunday Nov. 1: Knock Doors in Maine for Troy Jackson!

Maine’s Senate race is within the margin of error—that means WE can make the difference in defeating Susan Collins and electing our union sibling, Troy Jackson! We had an amazing canvass with Maine AFL-CIO last weekend and we’re heading back for the final weekend! Note: this is not a carpool, so pick the Maine office that’s most convenient for you and sign up for that! Sign up here to flip a Senate seat!! 

Saturday Oct. 31 & Sunday Nov. 1: GOTV Canvass for State Rep. Lisa Field

Join local unions and supporters at IBEW Hall 475 in Taunton to knock doors for AFT MA-endorsed candidate Lisa Field! Canvasses will launch 10am-4pm on 10/31 & 11/1. More info available here. Email info@lisafieldforrep.com with questions!

Monday, November 2: Virtual Ballot Question Phone Bank

Join AFT members as we connect with fellow union members and their families through important conversations about this year's most important ballot questions. We’ve got *nine* ballot questions this fall, and we need to make sure our membership is informed on how these questions will impact our locals and our communities! Sign up to make an impact this Monday!

Tuesday, November 3 (ELECTION DAY!): AFT MA Election Night Phone Bank & Returns Party 

Come on down to the AFT Massachusetts HQ on election night! From 5-8pm we'll make calls to get out to vote in close races across Massachusetts. Then we'll watch the election night results together—and make some calls to help AFT-endorsed candidates across the country where the polls are still open! Join us for this final night of activism before the Midterms–whether you stay the whole night or just stop by, we hope to see you! RSVP to join us on election night!

Thursday, November 12: AFT MA Election Rapid Response Town Hall

Whatever happens on November 3, we know we’ll have a LOT to discuss. As we spend this final week working hard to elect labor champions and make plans to defend our democracy, put November 12 in your calendar now and make a plan to tune in for the breaking news you need, how our union is responding, and how we can take action together if the validity of our elections comes under threat. Sign up now for our 11/12 Election Rapid Response Town Hall! 

Monday, November 16: Labor, Unions, and Democracy Forum

Join ClassACT HR73 for an online forum focused on the important role unions have played and can play in defending democracy and immigrants in perilous times and how unions can play a larger role in American life and politics. The panel will feature Peter Olney, retired Organizing Director of the ILWU; AFT Massachusettrs President Jessica Tang; and Patric M. Verrone, Former President of the Writers Guild of America, West. Register to join.

Savings for your next hotel stay—up to 50% off!* Pack your long weekends, road trips, and staycations this fall and beyond. Pro tip: bundle your flight + stay for even deeper discounts. Book now! https://hotels.unionplus.org/.

*Terms apply.