A ratification vote on a proposed contract will take place on Thursday, March 25, 2010 at the North Attleboro Middle School, beginning promptly at 3:30pm.

The proposed collective bargaining agreement, if ratified, will require payment of an agency service fee as a condition of employment.  The current amount of the fee is $500.38.

All employees within the bargaining unit may attend this meeting and are eligible to vote on the proposed contract.

The most recent financial reports for the North Attleboro Federation of Teachers, Local 4292, AFT Massachusetts, AFL-CIO are available for inspection by contacting Michael Stetkiewicz at the North Attleboro Federation of Teachers office at 322 Washington Stl., North Attleboro, MA  02760.

The Education Reform Act of 2009

The Legislature is considering this bill which has many items hostile to collective bargaining and to the financing of public schools.  Here are some of the major points of the bill:

• In so-called "underperfoming schools," all teachers will be required to apply for their own jobs.  If they do not find a job, they are fired.
• In so-called "underperforming schools," the Superintendent will have the right to reopen any part of the contract except for salary and benefits.  If the Union and the Superintendent do not agree, the Superintendent can implement his or her last proposals.
• In so-called "chronically underperforming schools," the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education can void any part of the contract he or she wishes.
• Currently, the law requires that both the Union and the School Committee agree to the creation of a Horace Mann Charter School.  The proposed law eliminates the union assent.  Consequently, any school district in the state can open any number of Horace Mann Charter Schools, which will have no right to collective bargaining.
• All charter school caps are removed except for the financial ones, but in low-performing districts, up to 18% of net school spending can go to charter schools.  The impact on public schools will be enormous.

We need you to call your State Representatives and Senators to tell them that you oppose the Education Reform Act of 2009.

You can get every legislator's telephone number at:
House - http://mass.gov./legis/memmenuh.htm
Senate - http://mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm

If you need to find who your legislators are, please go to www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php