| negotiating table and settle a fair contract agreement that uplifts students and supports educators.
The School Committee heard from paraprofessionals who struggle to pay their rent, ABA specialists who fear for the safety of their students and colleagues because of the district’s increased class sizes in ABA strand classrooms, and teachers who are dismayed that students with disabilities and multilingual learners aren’t receiving the support they deserve because BPS continues to force teachers to get additional licenses and do the work of multiple people.
The School Committee chamber echoed with our members’ chants of “union power”, “contract now”, and “BTU All In.” For the hour of public testimony, there was no denying that while the School Committee may sit on the stage and pass policy, it is the educators who bring the passion, expertise and dedication which power this city’s schools.
The BTU’s goal was to demonstrate unity, show the School Committee that our members are in this fight and to build power among our union family. It is clear that our message was received. If you were unable to attend but would still like to share your story with BPS management, then visit btu.org/engage to endorse our priorities and access a template to send a letter to the Superintendent, the School Committee and the Mayor.
Walk-ins, Negotiations, and Membership Meeting
These high-profile moments are powerful but our persistence and endurance will sustain us. This week we prepare for another round of walk-ins and the next negotiating session on Thursday. Members at more than 25 schools plan to hold an action that morning. These demonstrations of solidarity have generated significant news coverage (link to BTU in the News), strengthened the union’s position at the bargaining table and have shown the parents of our school communities that their educators are always fighting for their kids.
If you would like to participate in future walk-ins, please contact BTU organizer Erica Kouka (ekouka@btu.org). We ask that you provide as much advance notice as possible as the BTU office staff coordinates to provide rally materials and to attend each demonstration.
As mentioned above, our next negotiation session with the district is scheduled for this Thursday, December 12th at the BTU Hall from 5 to 8pm. Please let us know if you are able to attend.
Our next membership meeting is scheduled for TOMORROW, December 11th, at the BTU Hall from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Please let us know if you need childcare for the meeting and you can find the tentative agenda for the meeting here.
Solidarity for North Shore educators
We would like to congratulate our union colleagues in Gloucester, Marblehead and Beverly for reaching tentative agreements with their respective school committees following their difficult fights on the picket line. All three unions worked exhaustively to avoid going on strike but felt their hands were forced once it became clear that their city governments were not seriously considering the plight of their paraprofessionals.
The Gloucester Teachers Association was the first to secure an agreement ,which will raise the starting pay for paraprofessionals from roughly $22,000 to $30,200. Marblehead secured a significant victory by improving upon a deeply inequitable starting wage of $11.93 per hour to a more respectable (but still insufficient) wage of $17.07 per hour starting in FY ’28. Beverly was able to secure an agreement that would raise the starting wage for paras from roughly $20,000 to approximately $30,000. All three unions also secured pay raises for teachers that range from 10 to 16 percent over the course of four years in addition to improved paid parental leave policies. For a full breakdown of their contract gains, check out this article.
We commend our colleagues for their struggle on behalf of workers rights. It is unfortunate that educators, and labor unions, must resort to these actions in order to force administrations to respect and value the lowest-paid employees who provide essential services to students.
Parental Leave Arbitration Award
Last month, the BTU won an arbitration that clarifies eligibility for parental leave. Two BTU members whose babies were born within their first twelve months of employment, but whose leaves commenced after the 12 months eligibility period, were wrongfully denied a parental leave. The award makes clear that BTU members may take parental leave under the contract after they have been employed for at least one year, even if the birth itself happened before the employee’s one year service anniversary. We are pleased that the arbitrator upheld the union’s grievance and ensured that our members are treated the same as all other City of Boston employees.
Educator of Color Night and BTU Charter School Book Fair
The BTU was proud to collaborate with the BPS Department of Recruitment, Cultivation & Diversity Programs (RCD) and the Teachers’ Lounge to host an Educators of Color night at the BTU Hall last Thursday. We are particularly grateful to Cynthia Rivas Mendes of the New Teacher Development Program, Dr. Malcolm Andrews Jr. of the Telescope Network, and Evelyn Jean-Louis and Devin Morris of the Teachers’ Lounge for sitting on a panel to discuss how the district can improve its recruitment and retention of teachers of color.
This past Saturday, the educators at the Codman Academy Charter School and the Neighborhood House Charter School came together to host their first ever Winter Book Fair. Staff members at both schools voted last year to organize with the BTU and our officers have been supporting their staff unions during negotiations with their respective administrations since the summer. If you are interested in how those sessions have gone, check out our new section of the website dedicated to their fight for workers rights. engaging in contract negotiations with their respective administrations since the summer.
With the support of the BTU, the two schools were able to secure a grant from the AFT to distribute hundreds of books to students, parents, educators and community members at the Codman Square Health Center. The event continues the BTU’s support of AFT and First Book’s “Reading Opens the World” initiative which has led to the donation of millions of books to school communities across the country. Check out our album on Facebook
Arbitration Settlement: Inclusion Planning Periods
On Monday, the BTU reached an agreement in concept with BPS to settle an arbitration related to a grievance filed more than two years ago regarding the 48-minute weekly period for inclusion teachers to complete IEP paperwork. The BTU is now seeking to record the names of all members who could be affected by this ruling so that they may be properly compensated.
In our last round of contract negotiations we won the following language:
“If practicable in the school schedule, teachers who meet the requirements for student IEPs, using both a general education or ESL license and special education license will be afforded one additional 48-minute period per week for special education paperwork, in addition to pre-existing contractual P&D and CPT time. If the period is not available, the teacher can be compensated for up to 48 minutes per week.”
If you taught under two licenses at the same time in either of the last two school years and did not receive the extra period or payment please let us know by filling out this form!
Incentive for Early Notification of Termination/Retirement BPS management alerted the BTU on Monday, December 9th, that it is offering an early retirement incentive. The deadline to apply is Friday, January 10th, 2025. You can find more details within this Superintendent’s Circular. |
