MTA Today - Spring 2013

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as everywhere, Tea Party-infused
groups are challenging the Republican
establishment to move right. One
local result: the Massachusetts Fiscal
Alliance, a new “hidden money”
group that mounted a meaningful
independent expenditure campaign
on behalf of conservative legislative
candidates in the 2012 election cycle,
So-called “education reform”
entities that bring the values and
methods of the private investment
industry into the realm of school policy
have a major Massachusetts presence,
as well. Organizations such as the New
Inc., cannot be neatly typecast. Yet the
practical effect is at times to reinforce
the Right Wing critique of public
schools.

In this environment, Massachusetts
public education and worker advocates
must seek support amid a complicated
set of shifting alliances in which allies
on one issue may be adversaries on
another. For example, potentially
disastrous tax-rollback initiative
petitions in 2008 and 2010 were
defeated with the help of the state’s
business community. Yet much of the
business lobby is deeply invested in the
notion that teachers and other public
Likewise, public school advocates
and labor have worked cooperatively
with a group called Stand for Children
to preserve school funding. Yet Stand
threatened last year to unilaterally
undo a consensus program of educator
evaluation reforms by means of a
ballot campaign before agreeing
to accept a legislative solution that
averted the most damaging aspects of
its initiative.

For the MTA and others concerned about public education and workers’ rights, this has been a very challenging period, with mixed outcomes. As the task force has found and is prepared to detail, the pressure is far from likely to let up in the months and years ahead.

The task force report, which will dig deeply into the activities of anti-worker and anti-public-education groups, will be posted on the MTA website in May.

Continued from Page 10

Note: If you or your association would like to have a retirement workshop at your school, your local president should call Harold Crowley at 800.392.6175, ext. 8240. Please be aware that the M TA does not have a record of your service, so members are advised to bring that information along to meetings.

AUBURN — Louise Gaskins: first and second Saturdays of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Central Office, 48 S word St., Auburn; 508.791.2121, or at home, 978.448.5351.

BOS TON — Harold Crowley: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (by appointment only), 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., M TA, 20 Ashburton Place, Boston; 617.878.8240 or 800.392.6175, ext. 8240.

BRAIN TREE — Mary Hanna: second Saturday of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Metropolitan Office, 100 Grandview Road, Braintree; 781.380.1410, or at home, 781.545.2069.

CAPE COD — Lawrence Abbruzzi: second Saturday of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Barnstable Teachers Association (B TA), 100 West Main St., Suite #7, Hyannis; 508.775.8625, or at home, 508.824.9194.

FI TCHBURG — Robert Zbikowski: second Thursday of each month (walk in), 4 to 8 p.m., Fitchburg Teachers Association office, 21 Culley St., Fitchburg; 978.790.8864, or at home, 978.297.0123; e-mail: zibstar702@verizon.net.

HOLYOKE — Ron Lech: third Saturday of each
month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Western
Office, 55 Bobala Road, Suite 3, Holyoke;
413.535.2415, or at home, 413.566.3039.

LYNNFIELD — Mary Parry: third and fourth Saturdays of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Northeast Office, 50 Salem St., Building B, Lynnfield; 781.246.9779, or at home, 978.372.2031; fax, 978.372.2035.

PI T TSFIELD — Ward F. Johnson: second Saturday of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Berkshire Office, 188 East St., Pittsfield; 413.499.0257, or at home, 413.443.1722; e-mail: wardman33@aol.com.

RAYNHAM — Sandra Stephenson: third Saturday of each month (walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Southeast Office, 90 New State Highway (Rte. 44), Raynham; 508.822.5371, or at home, 508.747.2234; e-mail: rockowl@aol.com. Edward Nelson: fourth Saturday of each month ( walk in), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., M TA Southeast Office, 90 New State Highway (Rte. 44), Raynham; 508.822.5371, or at home, 508.853.5769.

HIGHER EDUCATION AT-LARGE — Edward McCourt, Massachusetts Bay Community College, Wellesley; 781.239.2207; e-mail: emccourt.mccc@gmail.com.

The M TA conducts retirement consultations throughout the state to assist members. Proof of membership must be submitted when requesting retirement services. This schedule is in effect from September to June, except in the Boston office, which is staffed during the summer and school vacations.