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Norfolk County Bargaining Council

Fighting together for the conditions that we and Massachusetts students deserve

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What is a Bargaining Council?

  • A space for local unions to coordinate their negotiations and actions.
  • Coordination takes different forms:
    • Coordination of contract proposals—designating topics that we collectively seek to improve;
    • Coordination on negotiating "table developments"-- what is the other side saying to common proposals? What tactics resonated with members and/or community?
    • Coordination on action—Collectively putting pressure on school districts, where we work and/or where we live, to agree to improve education conditions.
    • Coordination on successful practices throughout negotiations.

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Do we really need to coordinate?�

  • Have you heard: “Why should we agree to that, nobody else has it?”

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  • Have you heard: “All the other unions have already agreed…”

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  • Can you say: “........... just agreed to this, you should too.”

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  • Imagine saying to your employer, “Five of our neighboring districts are making the same proposal!”

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  • Management coordinates. Do you think superintendents and school committees don’t talk and meet with their counterparts? We should too!

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Who are the current proposed members of the Norfolk County Bargaining Council?

  • The Dedham Education Association
  • The Foxborough Education Association
  • The Wrentham Education Association
  • The Plainville Education Association
  • The Sharon Teachers Association
  • The Norfolk Education Association
  • The Stoughton Teachers Association
  • Millis Teachers Association
  • Franklin Teachers Association
  • King Phillip Teachers Association
  • Norfolk Aggie Local 2335
  • The Canton Educators Association

Some other local associations have expressed interest in joining in recent months.

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What are the proposed commitments of the Norfolk County Bargaining Council members?

To attend Council meetings, at which we develop bargaining "Goals" (aspirational asks) and "Standards" (achievable benchmarks that we coordinate on);

To share information about negotiations and related matters, and report on progress to achieve goals and standards;

Provide mutual support throughout the bargaining process, including coordinating actions;

An annual membership fee of $100 from each local union.

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Have other regions developed Bargaining Councils?

  • The Merrimack Valley established a Bargaining Council in 2021 and both AFT and MTA member locals have coordinated  to achieve goals including a Living Wage for  paraprofessionals;
  • The North Shore Bargaining Campaign has coordinated on achieving reasonable fully paid parental leave, and have  coordinated regional joyous actions to spotlight the issue.
  • https://www.facebook.com/reel/970096828076594

NorthShoreEducators

  • South Shore, and some near North of Boston local unions have also recently started to coordinate around common goals and standards.

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Questions?

  • Do we want to be a part of the Norfolk County Bargaining Council, and coordinate with other local unions to elevate our working conditions and compensation?