Published at http://www.eivnews.com/archives/7108
Boston charter schools have intentionally run without unionized teachers for many years. But this is about to change as teachers from two Roxbury charter schools are making the move to join the Boston Teachers Union (BTU).
The decision not to have unionized teachers was made by school officials in order to allow the schools to hire and dismiss teachers more easily and make changes without much negotiation.
More than 90 percent of teachers at both schools signed paperwork which stated their intention to unionize, according to The Boston Globe. Their goal is to receive equitable pay, more budget transparency, teacher retention and leadership opportunities.
“After years of decisions that affect teachers and students at [the Roxbury schools] being made without teachers’ input, we need a union to ensure our voices are heard,” wrote history teacher Donald “Max” McCullough III in a statement to the press.
The Boston Teachers Union said they are eager to incorporate the two schools into their ranks.
“At the end of the day, teachers, we have a lot of common bonds,” BTU President, Jessica Tang told WBUR. “And whether we work in district or charter schools, we all want to see our students thrive.”
Just last year however, BTU heavily lobbied against a ballot measure which would have expanded the number of charter schools in the state of Massachusetts. Their efforts were successful; the measure posed by the ballot question did not pass.
But for many, it is not surprising that charter school staff are looking to unionize. Charter school teachers often make much less than their district school counterparts, and subsequently, the turnover rate is very high.