Voices Raised, Ideas Shared, Solidarity Felt at the NEA RA

July 8, 2025

MTA NEA RA

Greetings, MTA members,

The NEA Representative Assembly, which concluded on Sunday in Portland, Oregon, is a gargantuan affair, with 6,000 delegates (we sent almost 180 – Please tag yourself and your local, if you represented Massachusetts) from every state affiliate working for the better part of a week on nearly a hundred new business items, the annual budget, bylaw amendments, resolutions and legislative proposals, not to mention elections to the NEA’s Executive Committee.

And this year we had something new – a full day of learning together on the key issues facing our union, our members and public education – the rise of authoritarianism, the battle over vouchers and privatization (I was one of the speakers in that workshop, speaking about the incredible Fair Share victory), strategies for social media and common good battles for racial, social and economic justice.

While there were many powerful moments – including three truly show-stopping singers in the NEA RA Choir – I can’t stop thinking about the videos from educator union members from around the world declaring their solidarity with all of us in the NEA as we struggle against a regime that hopes to decimate public education. I urge all of you to watch these words of support from all around the globe. You will feel a part of a global

Programming Note

We hope you are enjoying a restful summer break. MTA Union News will not run for the next two weeks. The next newsletter will be sent on July 29, as we wrap up Summer Conference. If you are looking for information in previous newsletters, visit our archive.

MTA Events, Opportunities and Solidarity Actions

Countering Democratic Backsliding: The Role of Unions
When: Monday, July 14, at 4 p.m.
Where: Virtual

U.S. democracy is rapidly backsliding, with growing impacts on people in cities and towns nationwide. Programs and institutions that once seemed stable are changing quickly, and it is challenging to figure out where, when and how best to respond. Yet, democratic backsliding is not a new phenomenon. It has occurred in countries around the world and received significant attention, and a growing body of knowledge can help us identify effective options to meet this moment. In particular, labor unions can play a powerful role in pushing back against rising authoritarianism. This session will share key research findings and practitioner insights that can help people strategize. Register here.

Summer Conference – Last Call!
When: July 27-30
Where: UMass Amherst

Registration deadlines are swiftly approaching for the MTA Summer Conference! Don’t miss everything Summer Conference has to offer, including all workshops, three amazing keynote speakers, trivia, movie night, karaoke and many other social events. Registration is FREE for all members until July 10, and online registration will close on July 15. Housing and meals are available for only $130/night. Register today.

Help Get a Fair Fix for RetirementPlus
When: Wednesday, July 16, at 1 p.m.
Where: In-person or remote

While we are disappointed that a fair fix for RetirementPlus was not included in the final version of the FY26 budget, we are encouraged by the news that an early hearing is scheduled on Wednesday, July 16, at 1 p.m. at the State House. This is an important step in getting the bill passed into law. To testify at the hearing in person or virtually, please sign up. The deadline to sign up to testify is Monday, July 14, at 5 p.m. Please let us know if you plan to attend the hearing (and we encourage you to attend and testify!). You can do that by registering here.

For more information about the hearing and the issue, visit our RetirementPlus page at massteacher.org/retirementplus.

Support Public Higher Ed at Hearing on Debt-Free Public Higher Education Bills
When: Friday, July 18, at 1 p.m.
Where: In-person or remote

Join faculty, staff, students, and public higher education supporters from across the Commonwealth as we advocate for debt-free public higher education.

The deadline to sign up to provide spoken testimony (in-person or remotely) is Thursday, July 17, at 5 p.m. Get more details and sign up here.

Honor Our Own Award Nominations
Do you know an outstanding MTA Retired member who deserves recognition? Nominate them for the Honor Our Own award. This annual award is open to members who worked in preK-12 or higher education. Learn more at massteacher.org/honorourown. The deadline for nominations is July 15.

Political Education

Yes, we are repeating the political education suggestions from last week. Please consider reading one or all of these books over the summer! As NEA President Becky Pringle said near the end of the NEA Representative Assembly: “All of us in the NEA need to continue to read, and to learn together.”

Here are a few suggestions:

Tim Snyder, “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century”
This is a very short book that shows how the echoes of terrible authoritarian and fascist regimes of the last century are too loud to ignore. You can also hear a reading of the lessons by actor John Lithgow.

Jason Stanley, “How Fascism Works”
This book takes the story a bit deeper and links to the American past. The Board will be reading and discussing this book at our summer conference retreat.

Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine, “In Search of Deeper Learning”
This is a forward-looking book. Because of your victory in Question 2, we now have an opening to revise high school graduation requirements to move firmly away from deadening test-and-punish education to authentic “deeper learning." This, the authors posit, is when you are able to educate your students using your full professional and creative selves, and thereby inspire our young people to love learning and love school.

MTA members can download these titles, and many others, at the MTA’s digital library on Libby. Learn more and find your next great summer read at massteacher.org/mtareads.

In solidarity,

Max and Deb

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