MTA Union News: DeSantis’ Disgusting Ploy — and a Need for Action on Question 1
MTA Union News: DeSantis’ Disgusting Ploy — and a Need for Action on Question 1
Greetings,
We were disgusted by the political ploy of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who, perhaps illegally, flew Venezuelan asylum-seekers to Martha’s Vineyard. But we were also moved by the response of the islanders — including our members and their students — who followed their deeply held principles to offer kindness to these strangers seeking refuge in our country.
We will find more ways to help them if Massachusetts is where they end up staying — including the young people who will attend our schools and colleges.
Moving to another crucial topic: There are 49 days until Election Day. Please get out there and help win passage of Question 1, the Fair Share Amendment. Here’s how you can find a rally, a canvass or a phone bank near you.
And check out this powerful new ad for Fair Share.
Here’s a way of thinking about Fair Share: To make a million dollars a year, you would be earning $20,000 A WEEK. There are Education Support Professionals who make $20,000 OR LESS IN A YEAR.
MTA Events
- MTA Retired members: Please join us for MTA’s 2022 Retired Members Gathering, which is being held on Sept. 29 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Westborough. Register today!
- MTA higher ed leaders: Please join us for the upcoming MTA higher education workshop, By the Numbers — Understanding Your Institution’s Finances for Bargaining and Organizing. This will be a two-day hands-on session at our Central Office in Worcester on Friday, Sept. 30, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 1, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- All MTA members are invited to UMass Amherst on Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for a climate action conference. Learn how you can help move your local to act on climate issues or explore how to incorporate teaching about climate change into your courses. Curriculum resources from MIT’s Climate Action Through Education, Mass Audubon and Subject to Climate will be explored. Register for the conference.
- Last chance to submit ideas for our legislative program. The process has begun for developing MTA legislative priorities for the 2023-2024 legislative session. The MTA Government Relations Committee seeks your input so that the development of a legislative agenda will be member-driven. We are extending the deadline by a week. Please fill out this form by Sept. 29 if you have a proposal for legislation to be submitted for the 2023-2024 legislative session.
- We have recently won important victories on student debt. But time is limited — to the end of October — to take advantage of some of these program changes. MTA Benefits is here to help. Learn the fundamentals of federal student loan repayment and forgiveness options, including the newly announced $10,000 or more in forgiveness put forth by the Biden administration, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Waiver, and Teacher Loan Forgiveness. Register for an upcoming webinar on Sept. 26, Oct. 5 or Oct. 12.
Political Education
Salem State University members Rich Levy and Joanna Gonsalves have led a team of faculty and students who have produced a remarkable report showing how campus debt — debt taken out to pay for the construction and repair of buildings — has undermined hiring and pay for our members and contributed enormously to student debt.
State buildings should be paid for by the state with public funds. But over the past three decades, much of the cost of building and maintaining our campuses has fallen on the shoulders of our students and their families.
Check out the report, as well as this article in The Nation.
In solidarity, Max and Deb