NTA eBulletin: March 22, 2026

Question of the Week (new)

Last week's question: Should the NTA endorse a statewide campaign by Massachusetts Families for Vaccines to support House bill 2554, which would remove the non-medical (religious) school vaccine exemption?

This week's question: Should the NTA Negotiations Team prioritize raising the cap on sick days buy back, increasing longevity payments, or both?

Context

Sick days buy-back

Most NTA members have hundreds of sick days remaining when they retire. The district pays 1/4 days pay for each sick day an employee has saved when they retire, but the current cap on sick leave buy back is $2,500. 

Longevity payments

Longevity payments supplement an employee's salary based on their years of experience in the NPS. As an employee works longer for the NPS, their longevity payments increase. While the longevity amounts have increased some over the years, they have not risen as fast as our salaries. They are not currently subject to the COLA. While we bargained for increases in the last bargaining cycle, we were not able to win them.

Sick Leave buy back days are not pensionable; longevity payments are. A sick leave buy back is a one time payout an employee receives when they retire; longevity payments are paid out yearly, are added to the base of an employee's salary and, as such, figure into the calculation of an employee's pension. 

If the NTA prioritizes both, this would likely mean less increase is possible for each of the individual benefits.

Be aware that this question is strictly about bargaining priorities. Asking it does not imply that the Negotiations Team would necessarily win improvements in either or both of these benefits in negotiations.

This week's question, again: Should the NTA Negotiations Team prioritize raising the cap on sick days buy back, increasing longevity payments, or both?

Sick Days Buy-back

Longevity

Both

NTA Election (new)

For the first time in NTA history, the number of candidates for MTA delegates exceeds the number of slots allocated. There are 46 candidates for 39 delegate slots. We will have an NTA election to select NTA delegates to the MTA Annual Meeting. All members will have 39 votes. 

We have asked candidates to give us brief statements to help you determine for whom you will be voting. Their information and statements can be found here: MTA Delegate Candidate Information. 

You can find the delegates responsibilities at the annual meeting here.

You should have received an email from the Chair of the NTA Elections Committee today that will include more detail about the election process.

This year at MTA Annual Meeting delegates will have the opportunity to vote for a new President and Vice President. The NTA held a candidates' forum earlier this year. You can view the forum here.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to vote for the MTA Board Seat for Region G, district 18 (Newton and Watertown). The candidates are: Alison A. Lobron, Gillian Van Delft, and Jamie Rinaldi (incumbent).

If you are currently an active member of the NTA, please check your email account for the elections committee's email. It should have arrived at 5:15 on March 22 (today). 

Holy Days (new)

There are a number of religious observance days ("holy days") approaching. Below is a reminder of your rights and responsibilities when using a holy day.

Taking a paid day off for religious observance, that is, a holy day, is one of the permitted uses of the four "other" days you are granted each year. "Other" days can also be used for bereavement, for commencement exercises, for managing a car accident on the way to work, among other, less used purposes.

Paid "other" days are pooled. If, for example, you take two days off as holy days and two days off for bereavement, you would not have days remaining to attend your child's commencement. You would have to use one or both of your personal days for this.

When you report a holy day to cover your absence for a day of religious observance, you must enter this into ESS with as much advance notice as possible. You should also, as a matter of professional respect, inform your direct supervisor as early as possible as well. 

You do not need to provide an explanation or justification for taking a particular day off as a holy day. If you are asked about the day from either your direct supervisor or someone in HR, you need only state that you are taking the day off for a religious observance based on your sincerely held religious belief. You do not need to justify your religious beliefs or obligations.

Being able to take off a day for religious observance is a right established both by federal and state law; being paid for that day off is a contractual benefit. 

Negotiations Focus Groups

Our next cycle of contract negotiations is rapidly approaching!

Before the NTA’s negotiations team sits down with the school committee’s, we need to understand better the priorities of our members - what are we looking for in a fair compensation package? What do we want to see changed about our working conditions? Where can our leave policies be improved? Once we have the answers to these questions, we can craft a bargaining platform that will be the team’s north star as they navigate negotiations.

And that’s where you come in!

Over the next month and a half, each building’s NTA building representatives and contract action team captains will be holding members-only focus groups to gather input.

Please make every effort to attend. While there will be a forthcoming bargaining survey, and our team will always seek member input, these focus groups are pivotal in creating our platform. They’re some of the best opportunities you’ll have to ensure that your voice is heard and incorporated into the foundation of our negotiations.

Retirement Plus

The fight continues to pass H.4361 to give educators who might’ve missed the opportunity in the early 2000's a one-time chance to switch into Retirement Plus. As part of the MTA’s advocacy around this, we would greatly appreciate if you would take the time to fill out this Google form.

Immigration Training

On Monday, March 30 at 4pm, the NTA will be collaborating with LUCE to host an immigration training at the new NTA Office (29 Crafts St, Suite 470).  The training will explain City of Newton and NPS policies and expectations around ICE. It will further prepare interested members to get more involved in their communities through understanding what the LUCE ICE watch hotline is and how to use it, knowing their rights interacting with ICE, practicing de-escalation behaviors if encountering ICE, and coordinating with the LUCE hotline to protect and support immigrant students and families. 

If you’re interested in attending this training, or can’t make it and are interested in a potential future, virtual training, please complete this Google form.

Mass Child Grant

The Massachusetts Child is a reimbursement program available to all MTA preK-12 local associations. Members use funds from their local associations to purchase qualifying items for students, and Mass Child reimburses the local associations. Qualifying items include everyday essentials, items that assist the physical, mental and emotional health of students experiencing financial need, and books.

Please note that Mass Child does not reimburse individual members; all grant applications must have the approval of the local president, and reimbursement is made to the local association. The NTA reimburses you. Therefore, please do not fill out the online application on the Mass Child website.

Our local process for use of Mass Child Grant funds:

• Contact Cindy Colantonio at (office@newteach.org) before purchasing items to be certain that NTA still has Mass Child Grant Funds available and that the items you will be purchasing will qualify for reimbursement.

• Once you have approval, purchase the items and submit your receipts to Cindy (You can do this electronically via email or by sending them through the Pony).

• NTA will reimburse you directly right away. We will handle the submission to Mass Child for local reimbursement.

NTA Office Relocation

The Newton Teachers Association Office has moved. We are now located at 29 Crafts Street, Suite 470. Our new office is handicapped accessible. We invite you to stop in and see our -- your -- relocated NTA office. 

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In solidarity,

Mike Zilles, President

NewtonTeachers Association