As you know, your ESP colleagues decided overwhelmingly that the time for action is NOW, voting to authorize actions to show the School Committee that they are through being undervalued and disrespected.
4/16/21
Yesterday’s pre-bargaining action was a HUGE success! By soliciting administrators’ support of the ESP living wage campaign HEA members continue to increase the pressure on the Haverhill School Committee to do the right thing and agree to pay Education Support Professionals a living wage.
To recognize these administrators for standing with them, Haverhill ESPs surprised Eileen Doherty, who was first to go public eariier this week, and Scott Gray and Brendan Parker (not pictured), Silver Hill’s Principal and Assistant Principal, with a dozen Crumbl cookies and an official #HEASTRONG t-shirt!
We have learned that other administrators expressed similar sentiments in private to the superintendent and School Committee members, all of which continues to demonstrate both the legitimacy and urgency of our cause.
As you read in last night’s bargaining update, the Living Wage Now! campaign is still far from won. We must continue to keep up the pressure and accept nothing less than a fair contract for our ESP siblings.
Please join us on Thursday, April 29th for our next standout at City Hall before the School Committee Committee meeting, and stay tuned for information from the Action Team on what support we need from you to make sure we have our largest turnout yet. With the next bargaining session scheduled for the 28th, whether or not we are celebrating our latest victory or protesting another sub-par offer from the School Committee will depend on how well we can mobilize ALL of our members over the next two weeks.
I look forward to continuing the fight with you all after this well-deserved week off.
See the Letter from Eileen Doherty here.
See the letter from Scott Gray and Brendan Parker here.
In Solidarity,
Anthony
Anthony J. Parolisi
President
Haverhill Education Association
4/8/21
Good Morning,
While the circumstances surrounding today’s “snow day” are clearly unfortunate, I do hope everyone will find some time to enjoy the beautiful weather with this unexpected time off.
Even without school today, the ESP Living Wage Campaign continues to grow. The Action Team is still asking all members to wear their #HEAstrong t-shirts today and to post them to your social media accounts in solidarity with our Education Support Professionals.
The ESP Action Team is also calling all available members to stand-out this evening at City Hall prior to tonight’s School Committee meeting. Please join us on the corner of Summer and Main Streets tonight beginning at 6:15! It should be a great night for collective action!
In the meantime, let people know you’re coming and show your solidarity by posting a photo of yourself in your #HEAstrong (or #HEArtofHaverhill) t-shirt in the comments section of our Facebook post and on your own social media pages as well!
WHEN WE FIGHT, WE WIN!
Stand outs for our ESP’s began on Thursday, March 11th before school.
- Display your pay! ESPs wore signs on their backs today showing their WEEKLY wage AFTER taxes. The photos are, frankly, jarring to see, as they show just how little our Education Support Professionals earn for their incredibly hard work.
- Please upload your photos to this Google Drive folder so we can share on our social media pages as soon as possible.
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We can’t allow the School Committee to continue to turn their backs on our Education Support Professionals! Please support our ESPs by sharing these images with your friends and neighbors. Ask them to tell the Haverhill School Committee it’s time for a LIVING WAGE NOW!
Today, and every Thursday until a new contract with a fair living wage is ratified, HEA members will wear black in solidarity with our ESP siblings.
When we fight, we win.
ESP Contract Action Team
HEA Executive Committee
Introducing HEA All-Star ESPs!
The HEA is proud to introduce our All-Star ESP Collectable Baseball Cards! First up is Angela Stiles, who after 14 years of service takes home only $270.65 each week after payroll taxes and insurance deductions! We think it’s time Angela and all our dedicated paraprofessionals earn a living wage now!
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ESPs, please upload your own photo and stats to any blank slide in this presentation so we can highlight every All Star ESP who serves our students and deserves to be paid a living wage!See our Facebook page for new cards to be released in the coming days and weeks.
Videos from some of our AMAZING ESP’s about their ongoing struggle to earn a living wage while working with the kids of Haverhill.
ESPs have waited long enough!
It’s time for a LIVING WAGE now!
Haverhill ESPs have been bargaining for a year now and are still fighting for a living wage!
Teachers Stand in Solidarity With ESPs
Check out our videos featuring Haverhill Teachers declaring their support for Education Support Professionals and their living wage campaign!
Interested in making your own video?
Videos continue to be submitted and we want you to keep them rolling in!
We are asking HEA Teachers to record a video of 20 seconds or less showing their support for the ESPs and their campaign for a Living Wage.
Using your preferred device please record your video following this script:
“Hi my name is [your name]. I am [your position and location] and I work with [name of ESPs you work with], my classroom could not function without them. Teachers stand with ESPs in their fight for a living wage!”
After recording please go to this Google Drive Folder and upload your video.
How to upload:
- Phone- Click on the link the drive will open then hit the plus sign button and select the video from your saved photos/videos
- Desktop- Follow the same directions above or you can drag and drop your video from your desktop right onto the webpage and it will upload.
ESPs return to the bargaining table at 5pm tonight – Wednesday, February 10th! Let the School Committee know you support the Living Wage Campaign today!
Our goal is to have enough of these videos to feature ESPs from every school and program and to release new videos daily between now and the next bargaining session on February 10th.
UPLOAD YOUR VIDEO TO THIS GOOGLE DRIVE FOLDER
To help you get started, use the script, talking points and some helpful tips below:
“Hello, I’m [NAME], a Haverhill paraprofessional at [BUILDING/PROGRAM].
- Give one personal fact about yourself (married with kids, favorite subject or hobby, etc.)
- Name one reason you love your job as an ESP OR share your favorite student success story
I’ve been working with Haverhill students for [#] years, and I’m STILL fighting for a living wage.“
Tips for the best quality videos:
- keep the video short, about 60-90 seconds
- use a mount or ask another person to hold the camera for you
- if using your cell phone, use the rear-facing camera and shoot in landscape mode (horizontal) not portrait mode (vertical) for better quality.
You can submit your video by uploading it to this Google Drive Folder. Videos will be uploaded to our YouTube channel and shared on our Facebook page as they are received and edited.
Upload your video today!
New flyers to support a Living Wage for our ESP’s
Please share on your social media page!
Haverhill’s Education Support Personnel are fighting for a living wage!
Show your support with a yard sign – request yours here!
Haverhill Education Support Professionals (ESPs) are currently in contract negotiations and are fighting for fair wages, job security, and professional development! We currently make between around $19,000 and $25,000 a year. This is not enough to live on given the rising costs of healthcare, transportation, and housing in the region. We are calling for better working conditions, and a starting salary of at least $25,000. Educators and parents are partners, and together we are entrusted to shape our children into competent, compassionate, and educated adults. We rely on each other as well as extended family members and community members to achieve these goals for our children.
ESPs in Haverhill need every community member and family to help us win a contract that includes a livable wage and professional growth. We are asking parents and community members to sign this Pledge of Support to let School Committee know that families do not want educators making poverty wages in our schools! Let your School Committee Members know how much you value the work of Paraprofessionals, Aids, and all ESPs in the district. We are asking that you please sign our Pledge of Support!
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/i-support-a-living-wage-for-haverhill-esps?source=direct_link&