Springfield Education Association Organizing For Better Conditions

In the lead-up to International Workers' Day, The Shoestring brings you labor organizing coverage from Springfield Public Schools.

Dear Shoestring readers,

Across the state, Massachusetts public schools have seen a resurgence of union activity and labor organizing. Now, Springfield Public Schools educators are joining the movement to push for better working conditions.

On April 10, Springfield Public Schools teachers, deans, and counselors packed into the School Committee’s meeting room at City Hall to demand improved benefits and compensation from the district. This is the latest in a year-long effort to negotiate a new contract for 2,100 educators in the district.

This week, Sam Spratford reported on the “stand-in protest” union members held at the April 10 School Committee meeting, and the background that lead up to the union’s demands.

Springfield is the third-largest school district in New England, and union organizers say there is a wage gap between Springfield educators’ salaries and their statewide counterparts. This wage gap, educators say, was caused in part by decisions implemented by a state-controlled finance board during the early 2000’s when the city faced insolvency. Control of the public schools’ finances was handed back to the city after five years, but union members say their pay has lagged behind ever since.

In addition to better pay, union members are looking for a benefit already guaranteed to private-sector workers via state law in 2018: paid family medical leave. Springfield Central High School teacher Declan Kennon told The Shoestring that many young teachers with aspirations of starting a family are forced into the impossible situation of choosing between their vocation and a future.

“Teachers will leave if this isn’t a good contract … I’ve had people say that point blank to me,” Kennon said.

Head on over to our website to read the full coverage of the Springfield Education Associations’ contract push. Check back with us next week for more labor movement reporting as we cover local International Workers’ Day solidarity events here in the Connecticut River Valley. That, and more, coming soon!

Thanks, as always, for your help making this kind of reporting possible.

Sincerely,

The Shoestring editorial team