Dear Colleagues,
We might not have won our contract battle here in Newton were it not for the generosity and support of other locals and union members statewide. Our union siblings in the Beverly Teachers Association, the Union of Gloucester Educators, and the Marblehead Education Association are in their battle now, and they are under siege. Their situation is pressing, and they need our support. Beverly and Marblehead have retained the same law firm that Newton hired in their attempt to break us--Valerio, Dominello and Hillman. All three of these locals are the current targets in a statewide playbook to beat back the expanding power of educator unions. They have escalated their response to educator contract battles in unprecedented ways:
Severe Financial Penalties: In Marblehead and Beverly, the fines in each local started at $50,000 on their third day out, and they will increase by $10,000 every day, so that on day four, they will be fined $60k, on day five, 70k, etc. In Gloucester, the fines are higher. They were fined $65k on their third day out, and will be fined $15k more each additional day they are out, so $80k on day four, 95k on day five, etc.
These are extremely high fines. To put them in perspective, let’s compare these locals to Newton. We have approximately 2,000 members; Gloucester, Beverly and Marblehead combined have fewer than 1,500 members, yet together they are being fined a total of $165 on the third day out, with the total going up $35k every day.
Proportionately, it is as if the NTA had been fined approximately $200K on the third day out, with fines increasing by $50K per day: $200k + $250K + $300k…. We were out eleven days, so if we had been fined this comparable amount, over the course of our contract battle, we would have been fined $3.6 million!
Gloucester Educators’ Pay Withheld: In Gloucester, the school committee has taken the draconian measure of withholding pay from striking paraprofessionals in their November 15 pay period. In a district where education support professionals only earn $22,000 per year, this is extremely hard. Although the district will have to make up the missed days and eventually pay these ESPs, this low blow has members shaken….and angry.
Surveillance in Beverly: In Beverly, the district used cameras installed in the educator’s negotiation room to record their private deliberations.
We must stand in solidarity with our fellow teachers and support them in their struggle.
And we have to remember: Their struggle is our struggle.
Indeed, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller has made clear in her public statements that she see this struggle as her struggle. Speaking at the Local Government Advisory Commission, Fuller asked: “Why are these educators striking?” Not, apparently, for a living wage for paraprofessionals, for fair cost of living increases, for modern parental leave policy. No, according to Fuller, these educators are striking because "the Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead districts are simply unable to meet the demands of their unions without having layoffs…..The revenue simply is not there." These contract battles are, according to Fuller, "a wanton disregard of Massachusetts law."
No, Mayor Fuller, they are not. What you are witnessing is union members telling elected leaders that they will no longer be bullied at the bargaining table. You are witnessing union members standing up for themselves, their students, and their profession.You are witnessing courageous acts of civil disobedience.
Please donate whatever you can to these locals using the links in the graphic above, or by clicking below:
NTA Dues Deductions
NTA dues deductions begin with the November 15, 2024, semi-monthly paycheck and continue for fourteen paychecks, concluding with the May 31, 2025 paycheck. Please check your paycheck to see if there are any issues with your deduction. You can see dues and deduction amounts on this document. If you have any questions regarding your deductions, please contact Christine Walsh at treasurer@newteach.org using your home email address.
Licensure
Please be sure to keep on top of your licensure to avoid problems down the road. Please note — if you lack the appropriate license or endorsement(s) for your position, that can constitute grounds for dismissal. If your supervisor or human resources has reached out to you to bring a deficit to your attention, please address the issue without delay. If you haven’t done so in a while, log on to your ELAR account through the DESE Security Portal to check your licensure status. MTA has a number of resources and tools to guide members through the license renewal process located on their website. If you have questions or need support, please reach out to Christine Walsh at treasurer@newteach.org.
Retirement Planning
If you are planning to retire this year, remember that employees who give notice of retirement at least six (6) months prior to their last day of work and who work through the end of the teacher work year (orthrough June 30th for Unit E), will receive $500 in addition to the benefit of $500 for giving at least four (4) months notice of their retirement. Total benefit in these cases is $1,000. Don’t miss out on this — be sure to get your retirement form to the HR office in December for a June retirement!
The incentive payment of $500 for giving notice of retirement at least four (4) months prior to the last day of work still exists separately for those not working through the end of the teacher work year (or June 30th for Unit E). Any questions? Feel free to reach out to Christine Walsh at treasurer@newteach.org.
In solidarity,
Mike Zilles, President
Newton Teachers Association
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