A series of workshops for MTA members that is devoted to union building and leadership skills is getting underway — an event aimed at addressing pressing issues that face educators in their schools and on their campuses.
The 2022 MTA Winter Union Skills Conference sessions will enable members to connect their work as educators to their activism as unionists. The conference will be held virtually and will run from late February to March 17.
Workshops will focus on traditional bread-and-butter priorities such as negotiations, employee rights and member organizing, as well as issues of particular relevance to current issues, including how to talk about race and racial justice issues. Session topics will be wide-ranging, encompassing strategies for effective communications, training for local treasurers, getting involved in school committee elections, and grievance fundamentals.
As MTA Today went to press, preparations were underway for a Feb. 26 plenary session featuring Stephanie Price, a member of the Oklahoma Education Association, and filmmaker Yael Bridge, who produced the documentary "The Big Scary ‘S’ Word," an examination of the American socialist movement. The plenary session will be recorded and will be posted on the MTA website.
Some of the many subsequent sessions will focus on how members can become more active in their union, strategic planning for local leaders, and training for public higher education stewards.
On March 3, a session called "Building and Retaining Leadership Teams" is aimed at strengthening the pipeline within locals for leadership positions, including how to identify members who have potential to become leaders and how to encourage activism.
On March 14, one of the most important aspects of negotiations — how to evaluate claims from an administration that it can’t afford more benefits or salary increases — will be discussed in "Economics of Bargaining." The session is intended primarily for members in preK-12 settings.
Across the various dates, locals are encouraged to have groups of members participate in workshops based on their roles and interests. In addition, the conference is an opportunity for members who have not held an officer position to learn more about these roles and their specific functions in the union.
To register, please visit the Events and Conferences section on massteacher.org. Registration will continue throughout the conference.
