Celebrating Our Rich History
Celebrating Our Rich History
Greetings,
We hope you all had a restful and joyful Thanksgiving. We know that our locals on the North Shore did! These powerful actions by educators in Gloucester, Beverly and Marblehead only add to a long history of strikes by MTA locals, which you can read about here, as part of an ongoing effort to tell our 179-year history.
We also pause to note that the Fair Share Amendment brought in $2.4 billion dollars last fiscal year – that’s even more than we predicted, and more than double what the Legislature planned for in the amendment’s first year. We are working now to see that a big chunk of the “excess” from this past year goes to deferred maintenance and other capital projects in our public schools and colleges.
But even with “only” $1 billion spent this past year, a lot has happened. When you see the free meals for all public school students, or watch some of your graduates head off to free community colleges, or step on a free regional bus, or find another road or sidewalk or bridge repaired, you can remind friends and neighbors that this all is due to the Fair Share Amendment, which you all made possible. Soon, we will be pushing for more of this large fund to go to addressing the fiscal crisis in our public schools, and winning fair pay and benefits for our members, and debt-free, public higher education for our students.
MTA Events, Opportunities and Solidarity Actions
Keep an Eye Out for NEA Survey The NEA Center of Communications is conducting a national survey of members. The purpose of the survey is to understand educators’ communication preferences and learn more about what kind of content they would like to receive from the NEA. Some, but not all, MTA members will receive this survey. We encourage you to participate if you do receive it.
Join the “Para Power” Event
When: 5 p.m., Dec. 10
Where: Online
Join Nick Juravich, associate director of UMass’s Labor Resource Center, for a discussion of his new book, “Para Power: How Paraprofessional Labor Changed Education.” Additional speakers will include: Holly Currier, a paraprofessional leader and member of the Andover Education Association; Colleen Hart, a delegate of the Boston Teachers Union; Katherine Monteiro, an officer with the Weymouth Educators’ Association; and MTA President Max Page. RSVP here.
Nominate the Next ESP of the Year
Do you know a rockstar ESP? Nominations are now open for MTA ESP of the Year, which is bestowed upon an exceptional MTA member by the ESP Committee. The award is open to higher ed and preK-12 members. Please nominate someone by the Jan. 5 deadline.
Take Action on RetirementPlus Bill
The MTA is calling on all members to contact their state legislators before the end of session on Dec. 31 and ask that they support the passage of the RetirementPlus bill (H. 2630), which is currently with the House Committee on Ways and Means. This bill will allow teachers hired before July 1, 2001, who did not provide a written election to participate in RetirementPlus, to have a second opportunity to do so. Please call your legislator today! Click here to get more information, including a link to your legislators’ phone number and an email you can use to share your story directly with them.
Take Action to Pass the Social Security Fairness Act
Let’s do all we can to urge the U.S. Senate to approve the Social Security Fairness Act, which repeals two federal laws, GPO and WEP, that have so unfairly harmed so many public retirees, including educators. The U.S. House approved the repeal in November, and now we want the Senate to follow through so President Biden can sign it before he leaves office. Both Senators Warren and Markey are supportive. Click here for more details and information on how to take action.
December Board Meeting
When: 9 a.m., Dec. 14
Where: Zoom
The December meeting of the MTA Board of Directors will be held on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, remotely via Zoom. The agenda will be posted here and you will need your MTA website login to access it. If you have questions regarding the Board meeting, please email mtagovernance@massteacher.org. 2025 HCR Award Nominations The MTA Human Relations Committee is soliciting nominations for the 2025 MTA Human and Civil Rights Awards, which honor individuals and groups for showing extraordinary dedication to civil rights and human relations. The awards will be presented on Sunday, July 27 at the 2025 Human and Civil Rights Awards celebration. The deadline to submit nominations is April 21, 2025. If you have any questions, please email MTAGovernance@massteacher.org.
Political Education
“Prophet Song,” by the Irish writer Paul Lynch, is a novel well worth reading as we head into a new year and a second Trump term. This is not an uplifting read, but actually quite terrifying. It begins with the arrest of a teacher union leader by an authoritarian regime, and gets much worse from there. You won’t soon forget this novel.
In Solidarity,
Max and Deb