The BTU’s 2024 Summer Organizer Union Leader class met for the first time on July 8th to begin a multi-week course focused on training members on how to increase member engagement and support for our contract campaign.

Good morning,

We hope that the first few weeks of summer have gone well, and that those of you who are working with our students during ESY or summer school are having a good time with your students, and that those of you who are taking time to engage in professional development are enjoying the opportunity to hone your craft with colleagues. And of course, we hope that you are able to recharge your batteries and spend some time with friends and family.

This is a time of transition at the BTU. Jessica Tang has moved into her role as President of our statewide union, AFT Massachusetts, and former Executive Vice President Erik Berg has moved into the BTU President role in accordance with the BTU’s bylaws. The entire BTU staff is working to make this transition as seamless as possible and continue the important work of the BTU.

Negotiations Update

At the June 20th bargaining session, management presented the BTU with a one-year wages-only contract proposal with a 2% increase, which failed to meet the financial needs of our members, so the BTU negotiating team rejected it. Although the district said it did not see a point in continuing to meet for negotiations over the summer unless the BTU was willing to remove more than two-thirds of our proposals from consideration, the two sides did agree to two summer dates.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume on August 8th for a full day session at the BTU hall from 10 to 5pm. BTU members are welcome to attend the session. Please register ahead of time so we can provide lunch. The BTU negotiating team is taking the time between sessions to hear from educators, and to reset and refocus so that when we do return to the table, we will be able to begin again with a sharpened set of priorities for our schools and our members.

To that end, a large group of BTU leaders representing all BTU bargaining units met on June 27th for an interactive and cooperative strategy meeting. In break out sessions, BTU leaders worked collaboratively to deepen our understanding of the interests and priorities of the union and district management. The group was unified in its commitment to secure a contract that addresses the district’s broken inclusive education model and provides the financial security our members deserve so they can be the best possible educators for Boston’s students.

BTU members also participated in a power mapping activity to explore which individuals, groups and institutions we need to engage with to achieve a new contract agreement. This exercise emphasized that with targeted messaging and grassroots advocacy and actions, our broad coalition has the power to mobilize educators and the community to generate support for our contract goals.

Our power is in our numbers and the more we take action, the more we will be able to achieve. That is why we are excited about our new Organizing Committee, which will work with the negotiating team and Executive Board to develop and to implement organizing and action plans for our contract bargaining campaign. This is the perfect opportunity to use your voice and expertise to fight for a brighter future for your students and colleagues. You can learn more about the committee and apply here.

The strategy session wasn’t the only opportunity to get involved and learn new tools on how to be an effective member leader. On August 14th and 15th, the BTU and AFT Massachusetts are holding a Summer Organizing Institute at the BTU to provide workshops on boosting member engagement, building support for our contract and developing specific campaign strategies. You can register for the event here and also check out the agenda here.

Our contract expires at the end of August and it is imperative that we pick up where we left off and continue the fight in the fall. That is why these summer opportunities are so important and useful.

 

BTU Special Election Information:

The 2024/25 BTU election committee is holding a special election for Executive Vice President now that Erik has become President of BTU, until the end of the term in June 2025. Any member in good standing of the BTU/RTC is eligible to run. Electronic and paper nomination pages will be available on AUGUST 1. Paper pages can be picked up at the union hall.

Members can only sign nomination papers for 1 candidate in this race. 100 signatures are required but it is recommended that prospective candidates gather more in case of duplications.

Nomination papers must be handed in at the BTU union meeting on Sept 11, 2024. An election will be held on Oct 16. If there are more than two candidates, then this will be a primary. If there are only 2 candidates, this will be a final election. The election will be conducted through mail-in ballots and in-person voting.

You may contact electioncommittee@btu.org with any questions about the election. Contact mfrank@btu.org with any questions about your membership status. Please follow the e-bulletin for regular updates. The Election Committee page on the BTU website will be updated as the special election approaches.

 

 

BTU Events and Announcements Important PD Scheduling Info for Next Year – FAQ The district has made a shift in how professional learning is being offered for next year (SY24-25). As part of the existing contractual PD hours (not extra time like this year SY23-24), all Teachers will be asked to participate in a 12 hour course addressing some fundamental knowledge and competencies required to implement the district’s inclusive education plan. These courses are differentiated by curriculum aligned to the curricula required across the district. Schools are asked to permit educators to attend a course that aligns to the curriculum they teach. For an overview of the shifts and the content see this slide deck from BPS. While offering more choice is a great step forward, and one that BTU members have been seeking for years, these shifts can create some questions and challenges. We have created an FAQ document to address the issues we have heard from members. Please continue to share your questions and concerns with the BTU so we can address them as needed. Please contact Paul Tritter for assistance. NEW-Join the BTU Contract Organizing Committee! The Contract Organizing Committee will work in collaboration with the negotiating team and Executive Board to develop and implement organizing and action plans for our contract bargaining campaign. We’re looking to convene a diverse group of BTU members, representing a range of bargaining units, roles, grade bands, races, experience levels, and school types across as many schools as possible. Learn more and apply here. Stand in Solidarity with Garment Workers: TODAY Join local labor unions to stand in solidarity with South and South East Asian garment workers fighting for justice in NIKE’s supply chain. Stand alongside the Global Labor Justice, the Asia Floor Wage Alliance and the Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW) in the fight for wage equality and fair working conditions. The demonstration will take place at the local Converse Headquarters located at 1 Lovejoy Wharf at 4:00pm Blood Drive sponsored by the Tremont Credit Union on July 25th The Tremont Credit Union will be holding a Blood Drive on July 25th at 2 Granite Ave. in Milton. Make sure to register ahead of time to secure a spot!

Summer Organizing Institute: August 14-15 at the BTU Join the BTU and AFT Massachusetts for our annual Summer Organizing Institute. Whether you are a brand new building rep or activist learning the basic building blocks of organizing or a seasoned union leader looking to bargaining your strongest contract ever these two days are for you. Register with this form. Building Rep Orientation: August 28 or 29 at the BTU Hall Whether you are a new building rep or a returning one, we look forward to reconnecting before the school year begins! The orientation will cover everything you need to know as a building for the new school year, including all the materials you need to conduct a 30 minute union meeting in the first week of school. This year we are offering two date options: Wednesday, August 28 from 10am-12pm or Thursday, August 29 from 4:30-6:30. Both sessions are at the BTU (180 Mount Vernon St, Dorchester 02125). Please RSVP here. NEW-Join the AFT-MA 2024 Get Out the Vote Team AFT-MA members are taking action to get out the vote for the democratic ticket in battleground states this Fall and Summer! Fill out this form to let staff know how you are interested in getting involved, and you’ll hear back shortly to get plugged in. Democracy and Education is on the ballot this year! Inclusion Planning Team Updates – Don’t forget to submit your election results for your school Inclusion Planning Teams to bit.ly/IPTmembers. – We have heard from some schools that IPT members did not receive their stipends in the last June or first July paystubs. Please check your pay stubs and send an email to your field rep or the Inclusion Liaison (kdelarosa@btu.org) if you have not been paid. Submit Building Rep Election Results A reminder that all schools should conduct Building Rep elections before the end of the school year. If you need guidance on how to conduct a Building Rep election, please see p. 25 of the Building Rep Handbook. Once you have your election results please submit them at btu.org/brelection. People’s Survey of BPS Superintendent The Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA) is conducting a People’s Survey of the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. It is adapted from DESE evaluation standards. Please note, your individual responses are confidential, BEJA will use the overall results to understand broader trends and opinions and share with our findings with our community. The survey should take 15 minutes to complete and will run through August 2. Paraprofessional Safety Care Training There will be Safety Care training once we gauge the interest of which training is needed. The Initial Safety Care(12 hours) or the re-certification of Safety Care (6 hours) will be offered. Please register here for two September Sessions. Paraprofessional Development: Managing Student Behaviors This Professional Development Session will provide participants an overview of strategies to identify warning signs while working with students in any program area and across grade bands. Participants will learn techniques to identify student triggers and best practices to ameliorate behaviors and provide safety for the learning environment. The two sessions will take place at Tuesday, September 3rd at 10:00am in person at the Boston Teachers Union and Wednesday, September 4th at 12:30pm on Zoom. Kindergarten Conference September 5, 2024 8:30am-2:30pm The Kindergarten Conference at the Four Points Sheraton Norwood will focus on leveraging the curriculum for inclusion & equitable early literacy practices. Breakout sessions will target the curricular and instructional needs of K0-K2 classrooms. The K Conference is for both paraprofessionals and teachers. You can register here.

 

Professional Learning & Development Updates

Each week, we have many new and exciting Professional Learning & Development opportunities to share with you. You can find a full description of each listing on our Professional Learning & Development Updates Page.

• AFT Member Benefit Virtual Workshops
• Degree Completion
• August 2024 MIT Climate Professional Development Workshop (paid) for high school educators
• Stipend Opportunity: Educator Feedback on SY24-25 Professional Learning
• National Board Summer Program Manager: Summer Stipended Role to Support Educators of Color
• Applications now open for fully-online or hybrid teacher/school leadership programs through Salem State
• Important PD Scheduling Info for Next Year – FAQ
• Power Saturdays Applications Now Open!
• Educators Thriving: Make Your Well-being a Priority This Year
• Thinking Through Art at the ISGM
• Support for K0/K1 Educators

Community News & Events

Documentary: Years After Garrity: A Move Toward Equitable Education

The BPS Humanities department in collaboration with BPS Arts and the Office of Opportunity Gaps will host 50 Years After Garrity: A Move Toward Equitable Education on September 26, 2024. Please fill out this Google Form to indicate your interest in participating. The panel discussion will occur after the viewing of the PBS documentary The Busing Battleground. Questions? Contact Angela Hedley Mitchell: ahedley@bostonpublicschools.org

 

In Memoriam

We have just learned that Michael Crain, a dedicated educator and BTU member, has recently passed. Michael spent 31 years at both the Blackstone and the STRIVE program, where he tirelessly worked on behalf of our students with the highest-needs. We will share more details about Michael’s memorial services when they are available.