The Massachusetts Teachers Association, together with AFT-Massachusetts and the Boston Teachers Union, has developed a statewide reopening plan with guidance from local presidents and rank-and-file members. This plan is available for your review here. We are asking members to share it far and wide throughout the Commonwealth, and will be using it as a baseline for bargaining over re-opening conditions here in Haverhill (for more information on the statewide campaign, including other easy ways you can take action, visit https://massteacher.org/news/2020/07/a-public-school-reopening-plan-worth-fighting-for).
In addition to planning local actions in support of the safe, fully-staffed schools our students deserve, our Action Team will be coordinating with other locals in the region through Merrimack Valley Educators United in addition to helping to plan and implement the large, state-wide actions that will be necessary to win this fight.
Again, please use the link above to complete our re-opening survey and any other surveys we send to you in the future. It is likely that we will have some follow up questions for you based on the results we receive, and our membership committee is working hard to make sure we have the most up to date contact information for every member in order to most effectively communicate changes to you all.
Finally, with all of the commotion last Friday and over the weekend regarding the District’s re-opening “plan”, we failed to announce the results of last week’s vote to amend Article XXXIV – Differentials of the teacher contract. Results were delivered to your school email address via OpaVote, but for those who have not yet read it, the amendments were approved by a vote of 238-9.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the bargaining process as well as the ratification vote. The new language will be incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement and when we return to the table to negotiate an extension we will continue to advocate for more equity and compensation in those positions.
In Solidarity,
Anthony
Anthony J. Parolisi
President
Haverhill Education Association