MTA Today - Spring 2018

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“That started my career,” she
continued, acknowledging the
physical, financial and emotional
challenges of the job. Despite the
obstacles, she said, “We go back every
day because we love our students,
and every person in this room is here
because they love what they do.”
In addition to deep involvement
in her union at the local, state and
national levels, Meltsakos is active
on the political front in her town.
“Though I don’t really like politics,”
she said, “I know how important it is
to all of us as educators.

“Don’t be afraid to speak up to
your School Committee and everybody
else,” she told the crowd. “Keep telling
your stories. Keep doing what you’re
doing — and someday we will be paid
what we deserve.”
During meals throughout the
conference, prizes sponsored by MTA
Benefits were awarded. The giveaways
are a popular feature of the conference,
and this year 25 members received
prizes from MTAB that included
Fitbits, Kindles, tablets and other
items.

B efore the conference wrapped up on Saturday afternoon, participants honored graduates of the inaugural MTA ESP leadership program, which is modeled on the National Education Association’s Leaders for Tomorrow program.

“Let me take you back to a cold night in January — January 19 to be exact,” said paraeducator Janice McKeown, one of the graduates.

“It was still getting dark before 5. We were tired after a long week, and some of us were wondering, ‘What am I doing? What did I sign myself up for now?’ We have families. Second or third jobs. Outside commitments.

that this three-weekend leadership
program would make us stronger as
individuals and within our union.”
McKeown continued, “We came
from five different districts. We come
from diverse backgrounds. Some of
us are career-changers relatively new
to education, while some are veteran
educators. Some of us are well known
in our unions and some of us are
just getting started. Most of us were
strangers on that night we met. But
now we are friends. And we hold
ourselves accountable to be the best
that we can be.”
The group of 12 graduates included
Burke and Susan Markievitz, both of
the Haverhill Education Association;
Tina Gaffney, Shannon Smith, Yahaira
Rodriguez and Elsa Trinidad of the
Educational Association of Worcester;
Roylene Hunte, Wendy MacMillan and
McKeown of the Brookline Educators
Union; Lisa Irvine of the Waltham
Educators Association; and Terry Anise
King and Valerie Price of the Classified
Staff Union at UMass Boston.

For more information about MTA Education Support Professionals, please visit massteacher.org/esp.

Continued from Page 10

ESPs are urged to continue speaking out and fighting for fairness

Members of a union coalition representing UMass faculty, staff and graduate students protested outside a meeting of the UMass Board of Trustees in Amherst on April 6 to draw attention to stalled contract negotiations. The unions are fighting for fair salaries and improved working conditions for members, who have been working without contracts for more than 250 days. The coalition is also asking trustees to publicly support the Fair Share Amendment ballot initiative, which would increase funding for public higher education.