Take Action on May Day
Take Action on May Day
Greetings,
It is the week of both May Day and Annual Meeting!
Everything you need to know about the Annual Meeting is at massteacher.org/annualmeeting, including the Saturday march, at 3 p.m., to defend public education and workers’ rights and reject the billionaire agenda.
This visionary platform reminds us that the “fightback” also requires that we “fight forward” for the world we want to live in.
Go to massteacher.org/protect to learn about the attacks on workers, students and public education, and how you can be a part of the fightback.
Show up with your fellow educators for May Day walk-ins and afternoon and weekend rallies, marches and standouts (Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and many more). Check out the national website on May Day to see how we are connected to thousands of actions around the country.
And let’s remember our members' righteous history of fighting for what they believe in. I am pleased to announce that the MTA History Project has launched an interactive website documenting 56 strikes by MTA’s locals over the past 55 years. Thousands of contracts have been settled in that period without a strike, but withholding labor is a tool of last resort when bargaining fails to result in a fair contract. The MTA has long backed legislation to make it legal for educators and others to strike. Use the MTA’s Contact Us form to let us know if you have photos or other materials related to your local’s strike that would be good additions to the site or archive.
MTA Events, Opportunities and Solidarity Actions
Educator Appreciation Week
Next week, May 5-9, is Educator Appreciation Week, a week to take action, to publicly advocate for full funding and respect for educators and public education, and insist that our schools and universities have what they need to help students succeed. Please visit our resources page at massteacher.org/protect to learn more about ways you can take action for public educators.
And on May 6, National Educator Appreciation Day, share your stories of great educators who inspired you, who continue to inspire you, who changed your life or who encouraged you. The NEA is collecting video statements about inspiring educators. Visit www.nea.org/taw and share a quick message.
Actions Taken at the April Special Executive Committee Meeting Actions taken by the MTA Special Executive Committee at the meeting on April 17, 2025, can be found here. Scroll down on the webpage for the Executive Committee information.
MTA Benefits Webinar: Addiction and Recovery – What Do We Do, Where Do We Turn?
When: Tuesday, April 29, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual
Ever-changing stressors affecting educators have caused an increase in substance abuse to ease stress. During this webinar, Mary Ferrara, LCSW-R, CASAC, in partnership with MyRosalie and MTA Benefits, will delve into the complexities of addiction among educators to understand risk factors, warning signs and helpful resources to support those on the journey to recovery. Register now.
MTA Benefits Webinar: Scam Detection, Fraud & Re-establishing Your Credit
When: Thursday, May 1, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual
Join Cambridge Credit Counseling to learn how you can minimize your exposure to identity theft and what steps to take to resolve a breach should one occur, without falling victim to credit repair scams. Register now.
Political Education
Remember how the millionaire opponents of the Fair Share Amendment said that all of them would flee the state and move to New Hampshire, Florida or Texas?
Yeah, that didn’t happen. In fact, a brand new study, which is getting lots of press, shows that “the number of wealthy individuals and their cumulative wealth grew after the enactment of higher taxes on high earners in Massachusetts.” And we have gained about $2.5 billion a year to spend on universal school meals, free higher ed, better roads, bridges and transportation, and have increased the amount of aid to schools and colleges. The study also tells us that Fair Share was just a good start, and why we need now, at this moment of potentially devastating cuts from the federal government, to pass the Corporate Fair Share bill and tell multinational corporations (Walmart, McDonald’s, Starbucks) that they have to pay their fair share of state taxes on profits they are hiding overseas.
In solidarity,
Max and Deb