Dear Colleagues,
Below please find this week's notices.
Bill Humphrey Finishes Second!
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Bill Humphrey finished ahead of Rick Lipof, and behind Greg Schwartz in the 12th Middlesex Congressional District. While we were hoping for a victory, Bill certainly reframed the dialogue in many ways, running as an unabashedly pro-labor, prop-education candidate for state representative on an explicit promise not to "play nice," in the state house.
I hope Bill sees this campaign as a first step in his political career, not a setback. We need candidates like Bill who will run on a true pro-labor, pro-education platform!
Know your Contract!
Chris and I will be writing a regular "Know Your Contract" section of the EBulletin. Next week, we will write on our Sick Leave Policy. To prepare for this, we will be meeting with Anna Nolin, Joany Santa and the district's labor relations attorney on Wednesday. We have requested a written legal opinion interpreting our sick leave benefit from an MTA attorney. By Sunday, we should be able to share with confidence our understanding of your sick leave benefit, point out where there are differences in our understanding from the district's, and inform you of what to do if you believe your rights have been denied under the policy.
MTA Action Alert: Join Teachers in the
Fight for a Fair Fix for R+
In 2001, Massachusetts introduced RetirementPlus (R+), which allows teachers to retire a little earlier if they increase the amount they contribute to their pension to 11% of their salary. Teachers hired before July 1, 2001, had the option to elect to join RetirementPlus when it was enacted through an often-confusing process that led many to believe they were automatically enrolled, only later learning that they were not.
H.2630 will create a fair and clear pathway for teachers hired before July 1, 2001 to have a second opportunity to join RetirementPlus. A recent ruling by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals (DALA) has made it clear that legislation is needed to fix this problem.
The R+ Fix Committee with the active support of American Federation of Teachers in Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association, have made significant progress moving this bill through the legislative process on Beacon Hill. They are now asking all of our union brothers and sisters across the state to lend their support by calling AND emailing their state representative and state senator, and leaving a simple message: “Please support a Fair Fix for R+ by passing H2630 before the end of this calendar year 2025.”
You can find the phone number for your rep and senator by using this link. Calling--if only to leave a message, is the most effective form of communication with your representatives. Your individual voice matters, especially if it is joined by thousands of others!
Email them by clicking on this link. You can use the template that is provided in the text box, but the BEST and MOST EFFECTIVE method is to delete the provided template (and subject line) and write your own personalized message. All we ask is that you keep it positive and friendly, and stay on message: “Please support a Fair Fix for R+ by passing H2630 before the end of this legislative session.”
If you have questions or would like more information, join the R+ Fix Statewide Facebook group and we will be happy to provide more information there.
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In solidarity,
Mike Zilles, President
Newton Teachers Association
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