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Poll Shows Granite Staters Do Not Support the Voucher Program and Strongly Oppose an Expansion

Poll Shows Granite Staters Do Not Support the Voucher Program and Strongly Oppose an Expansion

CONCORD, N.H. - More Granite Staters oppose the taxpayer-funded school voucher program than support it, with an even stronger opposition to further expansion of the program, according to polling released by the UNH Survey Center yesterday. AFT-NH President Deb Howes released the following statement:

“The Granite State Poll proves what we have said from the beginning, that hard-working Granite Staters are looking for solutions that help all our neighborhood public school students and are not interested in funding unaccountable, unproven, and over budget programs that only help a few families. The voucher scheme pushed by Frank Edelblut and extreme right-wing politicians raises local property taxes and does not improve educational outcomes for most students, all while New Hampshire continues to fail to fulfill its constitutional duty and fund our neighborhood public schools. The New Hampshire legislature should and must turn its attention to fully funding neighborhood public schools and ensuring that each student can access a robust, challenging and honest curriculum so that the Granite State can continue to have some of the best schools and best-educated students in the country.”

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AFT-NH Reacts to Governor Sununu Announcing He Will Not Seek Another Term

CONCORD, N.H.— From the moment he was sworn in Governor Sununu showed us he was an anti-education governor. His pick of Frank Edelblut as his Commissioner of Education has set off a chain of events in New Hampshire that have been detrimental to most Granite State students who rely on our neighborhood public schools. From the over budget, unaccountable and unproven school voucher program to signing a ban on teaching honest history, Sununu’s record on education will not be looked well upon in the years to come.

Randi Weingarten at a Massachusetts high school

Summer is upon us, and parents, children and teachers are winding down from what has been an exhausting and fully operational school year—the first since the devastating pandemic. The long-lasting impact of COVID-19 has affected our students’ and families’ well-being and ignited the politics surrounding public schools. All signs point to the coming school year unfolding with the same sound and fury, and if extremist culture warriors have their way, being even more divisive and stressful.

In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

AFT-NH TOWN MEETING GUIDE 2023 - SUPPORT AFT-NH MEMBERS

Town election day is Tuesday, March 14th. For all of our locals in a “SB 2” district, any negotiated agreements will be voted on during the town elections. AFT-NH local leaders and negotiating teams have spent countless hours preparing tentative agreements to be presented to the voters. All of that hard work comes down to this one day of voting. Please share this list with friends and allies so they know how they can make a difference and support our AFT-NH locals. We know that every single vote counts. I know those locals remember very well when a contract was defeated by one vote. Yes, it has happened. Twice as a matter of fact. Another reminder is that folks can register to vote on election day with proper identification and proof of residence (could be a utility bill for example). MORE

Timberlane Teachers Achieve Last Minute Deal, School Board Continues to Engage in Union Busting

Timberlane Teachers Achieve Last Minute Deal, School Board Continues to Engage in Union Busting Timberlane temporarily avoids catastrophe PLAISTOW, NH— January 9, 2023 —The leadership of the Timberlane Teachers’ Association released the following statement: In a final effort, the Timberlane Teachers’ Association has achieved a last minute deal for a one-year agreement with the Timberlane Regional School Board that avoids what would certainly have been a critically disastrous situation for the District. Timberlane educators are already working without a contract for this school year and have not seen any step movement or cost of living adjustments. This deal makes little headway in resolving the many issues facing Timberlane including under-valued wages, working conditions, and earned benefits. This agreement is only a one year deal, which stabilizes the situation and brings the parties back to the bargaining table in the Spring. MORE

Timberlane Regional School Board Walks Away from Contract Negotiations

Timberlane Regional School Board Walks Away from Contract Negotiations Timberlane educators face a second year without a contract that respects their work PLAISTOW, NH— January 5, 2023 —The leadership of the Timberlane Teachers’ Association released the following statement: The Timberlane Teachers’ Association, AFT #4796, is gravely disappointed that for a second time in two years, the Timberlane Regional School Board has given up on trying to reach a tentative agreement with the Union that respects the work and dedication that Timberlane Educators have given to the children and families of the District. The two parties have been meeting since June 2021 to try to reach an agreement that recognizes the contributions and sacrifices that the educators of Timberlane have made for the District while also respecting the needs of the taxpayers. Timberlane educators have been working without a contract since July 2022 with no pay increases or cost of living adjustments while facing rising inflation and rising cost of living, and will continue to face shrinking paychecks for another year. The Union has presented more than a dozen substantial proposals and counter proposals, endured two mediation sessions, and made significant concessions and compromises over the last two years. The last proposal offered by the Union constituted an increase in cost over the previously agreed upon first year in the prior tentative agreement of less than one-half percent of the proposed District’s annual budget. Sadly, the School Board has made little compromise and refused to meet the Union on common ground. Even as of the date of this press release, the School Board continues to push forward proposals that were rejected by the Union membership for being insultingly inadequate to what Timberlane is worth instead of negotiating with the Union. MORE

Voter Registration Information for November 8th

Voter Registration Information for November 8th It is important that all eligible persons who can vote on November 8th do so. In order to vote, you need to register. If you are newly 18 or have moved and need to register at your new address, or perhaps you checked your voting information and found that you are no longer registered, here is all of the information you need regarding voter registration. If you are all set, please share this information with friends and family. There are two ways to register to vote. You can do so by contacting your city or town clerk up to 10 days before the November 8 election. Please find out the specific deadline information for your town or city. Click here to contact your town or city clerk for registration deadlines and procedures and dates of town or city elections. MORE

Nov. 8th Election Day is Almost Here! Have you made your Voting Plan?

We are less than thirty days to the very important election to be held on November 8^th. We are getting down to the wire and we want to make sure you are able to make your voting plans regardless of whether you will be voting in person that day or by absentee ballot.

Even though we have same-day voter registration in New Hampshire, it is always a good practice to make sure you are registered to vote. This is especially true since a significant number of voters were purged from the voting lists as part of the 10-year clean-up of voter rolls. You can check with your city and town clerk to make

CONCORD, N.H.—In a federal lawsuit filed today, educators and parents are taking a stand against New Hampshire’s attempt to implement a vague and punishing law that makes it impossible for public school teachers to know what and how to teach, as a result of a new law commonly known as the “divisive concepts” law. By attempting to restrict the way discrimination, diversity, bias, justice, and struggle is viewed or taught, the measure puts educators at the center of a nightmare scenario: They would be required to comply with a law that appears to be at odds with the state’s constitution and its law mandating a robust and well-rounded public school education—an education that includes the teaching of accurate, honest history and current events. MORE