Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1522302
feel seen and invested in their union. MTA's actions, which included a rally, demonstrated educators' collective power at a critical point in negotiations and propelled them to a settle- ment during impasse mediation. Whealy-Kennemer credits CTA with important assis- tance. "CTA helped create strategy and an organizing team, which included a couple people from our negotiations team as well as some of our up-and-comers who will eventually lead the union." Whealy-Kennemer, who has been MTA president since 2018, has been approved for a president's release time grant again next year. She and MTA hope to develop strategies to retain educators and engage them more fully in union work. MTA has 174 educators in its bargaining unit, of which 91% are members. But retention is a big problem. "Our population has 30–40 people who are new; only 58% stay beyond three or four years," she said. "Every year we have to re-recruit." But she is excited about newer educators' contributions to MTA and optimistic about their long-term impact. "Our organizing team has benefited tremendously from the younger people in our union. They have energy, and the audacity to question things that [veteran educators] accept as 'normal.' We need the blend, we have to trust that they can build this power." "I was able to go to every site and meet with members. I was able to get commitments from members and get a temperature check on how people felt about negotiations." —MTA President Kim Whealy-Kennemer CTA Organizing Grants Local leaders can visit cta.org to learn more about CTA grants. Click on Leader Resources and then "Local Chapter Grant Programs." Among the grants: • Site Visit grants, which cover release time for local unions to conduct local site visits; these visits should center around local priorities such as asking unit members to join the union, preparing for bargaining and organizing to win a strong contract, school board elections, a community schools campaign, etc. • Planning grants, which cover release time or meeting expenses for local executive boards to hold a local planning session • Local President Release Time grants, for local presidents to lead and carry out site-based organizing within their chapter; release time is by formula, depending on individual's existing release time, and have benefited many chapters. What MTA Won Among the gains in the new contract: • 4% on the salary schedule (ongoing) retroactive to July 1, 2023 (from 2% on schedule) • 1.5% on the salary schedule (ongoing) beginning July 1, 2024 • Health & welfare fully covered for years 23–24 and 24–25 • Longevity will begin at 10 years at $1,000 with an additional $500 every 5 years MTA President Kim Whealy-Kennemer, at left, on the line. 16 cta.org Feature