As we prepare for summer, many important issues linger. Among them are the following:
TRUMP’S BUDGET CUTS
The budget proposal by President Trump and Secretary of Education Betsy De Vos is staggering and will seriously hurt public education and the state of Massachusetts. In addition, they wish to increase funding for charter schools and to spread across the nation school vouchers for private schools.
For example, funding for after school programs, for health services for students, and for class size reduction would be substantially curtailed.
Our national organization, the American Federation of Teachers, is working strenuously to persuade the Congress that such cuts will be disastrous for our students, public education, and the states.
Fortunately, the U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators from Massachusetts completely understand how disastrous these proposals are for Massachusetts.
MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT
In the 1970’s the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that charging non-members an agency fee for services they received from their union was constitutionally sound.
However, several years ago a federal court case challenging this decision came forward. It appeared that the U.S. Supreme Court was poised to overturn the decision by a 5-4 vote. However, when Justice Scalia died, the court on a 4-4 vote did not overturn the decision.
Now another case under the name of Janus has come forward. It is making the claim that unions cannot require non - union members to pay an agency fee although they benefit from collective bargaining agreements, which, of course, include salary and health insurance among many other benefits.
It is anticipated that the Supreme Court will hear this case during its 2017-18 term and will render a decision. Even though unions will strenuously argue that the current decision of the Supreme Court has worked well, most unions expect that the Court will abolish agency fee.
We must educate our members about the benefits of union membership. We must involve our members on a more extensive scale than we now do. During the upcoming school year, the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts (AFT MA) will put great emphasis on these two items:
AFT MA will have a leadership conference on Saturday, October 28 at which we shall have training to reach these goals.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT RE: FAIR SHARE TAX
AFT MA is supporting a constitutional amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that will increase the income tax of these whose income, not net worth, is over $1,000,000.
The amendment would increase by 4% the taxes on any income, not net worth, over $1,000,000. Thus, if an individual’s income is $1,500,000., he would pay an additional $20,000. In taxes. This tax would raise between 1.5 billion and 2 billion dollars. The increased revenue would be targeted for public education, pre-k through higher education, and public transportation, roads and bridges.
As of the date of this article, June 7, 2017, one more vote is needed in the legislature to put the constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2018.
All of us showed our might to defeat Question 2 in 2016. We can do the same to pass this public education constitutional amendment in 2018.
I wish you all a fun filled summer.
If you have any comments or questions, email me at tgosnell@aftma.net