Teacher Contract Rally Builds the Movement for Fully Funded Schools

 

The future of public education and the New Haven community is being shaped as teachers bargain for a new contract, involving their membes, students, parents and the community in unprecedented ways.

At a contract rally outside King-Robinson School held while the School Board met inside, dozens of teachers raised their hands to cheers, saying this was their first every rally.

“We are fired up and ready to go,” said New Haven Federation of Teachers president Leslie Blatteau. “In a time when democratic institutions are increasingly under attack, it's our unions who are the line of resistance, building the networks we need to organize and fight back.”

The union's contract negotiations team is groundbreaking. Bulletins are issued for every school after each bargaining session to keep members up to date and allow for input. Observers are present at each negotiating session, bringing along their testimonies.

The rally expressed the power of collective action, and showed the love of these teachers for their students. The union explained the demands they are fighting for along side students, parents and community organizations like New Haven Rising.

“NHFT members are committed to real solutions for our kids - Lower class sizes, caseload caps, better maintained facilties, protections for LGBTQIA+ and immigrant students, and academic freedom in our classrooms.” said Blatteau.

“NHFT members also deserve the salary, and the respect, that matches teachers in other districts. We deserve affordable healthcare thru the State Partnership Plan - without the headache of deductibles and the threat of medical debt.”

Despite raises, take home pay for the teachers is less this year because of Aetna's greedy increases in healthcare coverage. Instead of just complaining the union explored other options and found that municipalities can pool resources for health coverage through the State Partnership Plan 2.0

“The city and the BOE make choices with their budgets every year. It's time - this year - that they make a choice that shows they stand with our teachers and our kids. Let's go.,” said Blatteau.