MTA locals in preK-12 and higher education are fighting for living wages, safe staffing levels, improved safety in schools and paid parental leave. These are among the issues that educators are demanding be addressed in fair contracts. A sample of recent highlights provided by the MTA Field & Organizing Division follows:
Professional Staff Union members at UMass Boston and UMass Amherst are engaged in a contract campaign for a living wage, anti-privatization provisions and safeguards against excessive workloads, and are fighting against COLAs that turn into merit pay. At UMass Amherst, members have a median pay that is $20,000 below the living wage for families in Hampshire County. The state Department of Labor Relations in December rejected the UMass Amherst administration’s premature petition for mediation and directed the employer back to the table.
Wareham Education Association members are fighting for safe staffing levels and a living wage for Education Support Professionals, who make less per hour than ESPs in neighboring districts. Members turned out at a December school committee meeting to make their demands.
The Holyoke Teachers Association in December took a vote of no confidence in the school committee’s bargaining team. Ninety-seven percent of the members voted to support this vote and more than 86 percent of the membership participated. Their fight for a fair contract continues.
The Taunton Educational Secretaries and Assistants in December held a rally to demand a fair contract that addresses school safety.
The Belmont Education Association in December jammed into the select board meeting to demand that they take responsibility for chronic underfunding that is impacting schools.
Haverhill Education Association members are fighting for a fair contract for safe schools and just compensation. In late November, silent representatives and bargaining team members walked out of a session with the school committee after it said it was not authorized to present an economic offer "on the record." In December, at a City Council meeting, members explained the economic proposal differences and clarified school committee misinformation.
More than 30 members from nine locals in the Berkshire Educator Action Network convened and listened to a presentation by the Southern Berkshire Regional Education Association on its experiences with democratized bargaining, silent representatives and a contract action campaign that energized membership and resulted in a fair contract.
Brockton Education Association members won a contract settlement that includes a 12 percent salary increase over four years, with 13 percent for educators at the top step. The contract also includes 25 paid parental leave days, and members are able to use another 60 days using sick days. Unused retiree sick days will be used to fund these days.
