Welcome to the Nashua Teachers' Union website. Our goal is to make this a place where NTU members will receive timely updates and information about their union, their schools and their profession. Please take a few minutes to tour the site and then come back frequently to stay up to date on what's happening at NTU. Thanks!

If there was one message that came out of the June 25 healthcare reform rally on Capitol Hill, it was that healthcare reform cannot wait. The demand from the crowd of nearly 10,000 was for affordable, high-quality healthcare with the choice of a public or private option—now!

Randi Weingarten, who was elected AFT president one year ago, announced on June 24 that she will devote herself full time to that role and is stepping down from her position as president of the United Federation of Teachers in New York City, effective July 31.

For the NTU membership:

The NTU Board of Directors voted that teachers should not attend workshops for X2 unless there is some compensation for this training.  The status of staff development for these workshops is unclear at the present time. The librarians had been promised pay for their new computer program which has been withdrawn.  The teacher web site will be how the NTU office will keep you up to date on summer developments besides any home or school email addresses that we may have.  Next year may get off to a rocky start it looks like to me now. 

Bob Sherman, NTU President

The NHRS is holding another retirement education session in Nashua---- interested members  will need to register at http://www.nhrs.org/Events/EventDetails.aspx?id=70

During this general information program, members of all ages and in various stages of their career will learn about their NHRS benefits including service, early service and disability retirement; pre-retirement and post-retirement death benefits; medical insurance after retirement; and other important aspects of their NHRS retirement benefits. Please note that personalized account information and pension estimates are not offered during these sessions.

AFT convention delegates on July 12 approved a series of constitutional amendments and bylaws, including a per capita increase in each of the next two years. The increase of 65 cents per member per month, effective this September and again in September 2009, will go toward three different funds: 40 cents will go to the AFT general fund, 15 cents to the national Solidarity Fund and 10 cents to state affiliate Solidarity Funds.

The arduous contract negotiations that finally ended led to a satisfying outcome for Nashua’s teachers and school nurses—and the city, by the way. It was an unnerving, challenging and terribly frustrating experience that often seemed destined for stalemate. The stakes were high, but at long last, the light at the end of the tunnel is here.

It is never a frivolous decision to be willing to walk off the job for what we feel is right, but we felt particularly vindicated by the overwhelming support we received from the Nashua community, especially parents. It is heartening to know that parents not only understand the challenges we face every day in the classroom but also respect the fact that we should be compensated fairly for the work we do for their children.

The 1,000 Nashua Teachers’ Union members have personified patience to an extreme. While they went without a pay increase since the 2005 contract, they have seen three tentative contract agreements come and go yet maintained their dignity and professionalism. But enough was enough.

The final five-year agreement shows that teachers and school nurses compromised a great deal to reach the end game. While union members will not get their much-sought-after retroactive pay hike for the first year of the contract—2006—they will receive fair step increases and raises for the 2007-2011 years of the contract. Beginning salaries also will move steadily upward, which will help attract talented people to the profession in our community. And it should not be forgotten that teachers and student nurses agreed to steep increases in their contributions to healthcare plans.

Now that the contentious negotiations are over, we can devote ourselves to what we do best—teaching and caring for Nashua’s students. We need to work with the school district and the state to put in place the programs that we know can raise student achievement. For example, New Hampshire’s academic standards, which are the building blocks for curriculum, instruction and assessments, don’t make the grade. According to a soon-to-be-released analysis by the American Federation of Teachers of states’ standards, New Hampshire’s English, science and social studies standards for all grades do not clearly or specifically define what students are expected to learn. Math standards, however, met the AFT’s rigorous critieria for elementary and middle school grades. We also have to make sure that classes are not too large, extra assistance is provided for students struggling academically, and that schools have effective and enforced programs to deal with chronic discipline problems.

With the support of parents, principals, the Nashua Board of Education and state education officials, we can work together to make Nashua public schools even better.

Robert Sherman, President, Nashua Teachers’ Union

April 11, 2008

To the membership:

Yesterday, Mayor Lozeau signed the teacher contract.  Also yesterday, the NTU Board of Directors voted to cancel all job-action related activities.

As soon as we know the details about pay checks and retro-active pay, we will update you.

Robert Sherman, President

Click here to read the Telegraph article.

In the April 2 edition of the Telegraph, the editorial board calls on the Board of Alderman to pass the teacher contract. Click here to read the editorial.

At the same time, the newspaper has filed suit in county court against the BOA. The lawsuit claims that the BOA meeting on Sunday at the Crowne Plaza to discuss the contract negotiations was a violation of the open meetings law. Click here to read that story.

Read the Telegraph story on last night's contract talks. Click here.