We are Boston Teachers Union members who have been working without a contract for over 6 months. We are calling for the Boston School Committee to immediately sit down to bargain a fair contract that will improve the quality of our schools. In light of the COVID19 pandemic it is especially important to codify the improvements and investments that Superintendent Casselius and the Boston School Committee have already committed to through short-term budgets and strategic plans.

At the last negotiation session, BPS continued to reject all of our proposals including important improvements to special education programs, supports for multilingual learners, more counselors, and pay equity for our lowest paid workers. BPS offered a wages only proposal -- offering us a base wage increase for the next three contract years of 1.5%, 2%, and 2%, with a one-time bonus of $1,000 for teachers & $500 for paraprofessionals. This is insulting and insignificant. It does not even cover the rate of inflation. We are negotiating for improved working and learning conditions, livable wages, and for the common good.

To ensure the improvements and investments #BostonStudentsDeserve we call for a contract that includes the following:

ACCESS TO COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS
Our community deserves the staffing ratios recommended by experts:
1 psychologist : 500 students
1 guidance counselor : 250 students
1 social worker : 300 students

ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMS
Our community deserves a full-time certified teacher librarian in every school. Our community deserves a baseline budget that guarantees every school to have visual arts, music, performing arts, sports, STEM, languages, and technology.

INCLUSION DONE RIGHT
Our community deserves well-resourced and fully-staffed special education and English learner programs - not just one teacher with multiple licenses.

FAIR AND EQUITABLE PAY
Our community deserves compensation and benefits that allow educators to live and raise a family in Boston.