We hope you all are enjoying the much-deserved summer break and keeping cool in the heat!
As we shared last month in a special bulletin last month and at our first informational meeting, we have reached a tentative agreement (TA) with the BPS School Committee and the City of Boston on our multi-year contract. As we get closer to the start of school and our ratification vote, we want to ensure that our members have all of the relevant information on this agreement. We have outlined the toplines of the agreement in this plain language summary, with information on the wins we secured for special education, staff training, the wage increase, and more.
The ratification vote will take place on Thursday, Sept. 8 at 4:30 p.m. at the BTU Hall. This vote will be in-person ONLY. You must be a BTU member to attend this meeting. Registration is not required. The TA will only go into effect if passed by majority vote of the members in attendance of this meeting.
Before the ratification vote takes place, we will be holding another Town Hall/Info Session on the tentative agreement on Tuesday, August 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the BTU Hall. Like our first info session, this meeting will be in-person with option to view-only on Zoom. You must register in advance by noon Monday, August 22 for the view-only option. Again, you must be a BTU member to attend this meeting either in person or virtually. Masks will be required for those attending in-person.
In other news: tomorrow, Wednesday, August 10 at 3 p.m., Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and union leaders from across the state will hold a roundtable discussion on student debt cancellation at the union hall. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here.
As you have likely heard, the MBTA will be pausing Orange Line service along the entirety of the line for four weeks, currently scheduled from August 19 – September 19, 2022. BPS is asking that city employees fill out this survey, intended to help BPS and City of Boston staff understand the impact of the Orange Line closure on staff and to inform solutions. We will also use these responses to inform support and advocacy for educators, students, and families during this disruption as well.
We are sad to share that organizer Ari Branz will be leaving the BTU to rejoin St. Stephens as their new Organizing Director. Although we are sad to see them leave, we are very happy for them and congratulate them on their new position. Ari started their organizing career with St. Stephens, supporting incredible work as a parent organizer, and we are so proud of them as they now return to lead that work!
We are also sorry to share that long time administrative assistant Adrienne Washington will be leaving the BTU as well. We are grateful for her 30 years of service at the BTU, wish her the best and will miss her greatly! Over many years we would not have been able to get out important and timely communications to our members without her, and the mailroom won’t be the same in her absence.
A Memorial Service will take place for Jinny Chalmers, long-time BPS Principal, on Saturday afternoon, August 20, 1 to 3 p.m. in the Media Arts Center at Roxbury Community College. All are welcome, RSVP is encouraged.
Lastly, we are hiring! We’re looking for a Union Organizer to support planning, development and implementation of new organizing, recognition, and contract campaigns. Please share with your networks!
In solidarity,
BTU Officers and Staff