A victory, strong coalitions and resistance

Greetings,

The last week has seen some great organizing across locals, an important victory in the State House, and the ongoing need for resistance and solidarity at UMass Boston. Taken together, they represent the urgency of our collective action and the possibilities within - no matter how difficult the struggle.

Regional Alliance to Shed Light on Privatization Agenda

Union leaders and activists from Hull, Marshfield, Hingham, Cohasset and Norwell are sponsoring a viewing of "Backpack Full of Cash" to educate members and the community about the forces behind the privatization of public education. Join them on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. in the Marshfield High School Auditorium. MTA members are also invited to a pre-screening "All In" conversation with pizza in the high school cafeteria at 6 p.m. Please RSVP to Deb McCarthy at dolph352@yahoo.com if you plan to attend the pre-screening event. And let's replicate this model of regional alliances and community engagement. Contact Ari Mercado by clicking here if you want to screen this film in your area.

UMass Boston: Solidarity Call to Fight Cuts and Privatization

This past week, 33 MTA members of the Classified Staff Union and the Professional Staff Union at UMass Boston were told they were losing their jobs.

The UMass Board of Trustees would like you to believe that the issues are about mismanagement and that cutting the jobs of dedicated union members is the answer. Both are wrong.

UMass Boston is drowning in debt due to the corruption that was, literally, part of the foundation of the campus decades ago. And the measly savings realized by upending these people's lives is but a drop in the debt bucket. The Legislature and the university system have the means, if they would only have the will, to develop a plan that saves jobs and quality services at the university.

Join your sisters and brothers at a UMass Board of Trustees meeting to protest the trustees' unwillingness to save jobs and maintain UMB's mission. The meeting will be at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at One Beacon Street, Boston.

Victory for English Learners in the Legislature

After 15 years of educating English learners under a law requiring English-only Sheltered English Immersion, an MTA-supported bill was passed by the Legislature this week that will give schools more flexibility to adopt programs that meet their students' needs, including bilingual education and dual language instruction.

Coming at a moment when anti-immigrant rhetoric is exploding, the passage of this bill is a profound statement that we value the diversity of languages and cultures that students bring to the classroom. Educators - who have long criticized the restrictive current law as contrary to student learning needs - made their voices heard and are finally being listened to. This is what collective power and coalition work can win.

'All In' for Building Union Power: Presidents' Reporting

We've held four of five regional presidents' meetings in the last few weeks, with much of the discussion focused on the All In campaign to reach out to members and urge them to participate in their locals. I am pleased to report a great deal of enthusiasm for the campaign and for sharing leadership and organizing around local issues. Learn more about the campaign and how you can be a part of it here.

Springfield African Latino Asian Native American (ALANA) Educators Video

The Springfield Education Association is supporting organizing and leadership development with members of color. Check out this video the ALANA organization put together to celebrate its diversity, strength and solidarity. This is what union power looks like.

Why Union Power?

This article from Politico talks about the broader impact of our victory last fall when we defeated Question 2. Read it and take pride once again in the grassroots work you did that not only saved public education in Massachusetts, but also set back privatizers on Wall Street.

And this radio interview with Steve Tolman, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, was recommended by Sherry Horeanopoulos, president of the Association of Professional Administrators. In it, Tolman talks about why collective power is critical to shared prosperity.

Support Educators and Schools in Puerto Rico

Union sisters and brothers in New York City have formed a working relationship with the Puerto Rican Federation of Teachers (FMPR) to link schools on the mainland with schools on the island. They are asking for schools to create small committees and complete this questionnaire.

A representative from the FMPR will then be in touch to connect the mainland sponsor with a Puerto Rican school. This is an opportunity to support a struggling community and build relationships that will carry into our efforts to fight for public education and economic justice.

Fight Fascism

Tomorrow, Nov. 18, join a national call to action for mass mobilizations to protect immigrants, dismantle white supremacy, stop the assault on public education, stand for peace and gather to begin to imagine and claim a better world. There are rallies being held in the Boston area to resist fascism. Find out more here.

And Looking Ahead.

I hope to see many of you at the Ethnic Minority Affairs Committee Conference on Friday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 2. The theme is "Getting Real About Race." Come listen, learn and act. Learn more and register here.

Join us from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3, at MTA's Quincy headquarters to organize to end the testing madness. Check out this letter from a member who works in Westwood and this one from Senator Pat Jehlen of Somerville. They spread the word about the nonsense that is high-stakes testing and describe how MCAS 2.0 is moving the goal posts.

Enjoy your time with family and friends this holiday. Give thanks, as I do, that we have each other and have each other's backs.

Solidarity,

Barbara

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