Connect with us

Massachusetts

Boston Teachers Union president elected to take over statewide AFT-MA teachers union

Published

on

Boston Teachers Union president elected to take over statewide AFT-MA teachers union


Boston Teachers Union President Jessica Tang was unanimously elected to take over as president of Massachusetts’s American Federation of Teachers chapter over the weekend, the statewide union announced in a release, making her the first person of color to hold the role.

“It’s an honor to represent the 25,000 educators, librarians, health and public service workers from across the commonwealth who make up AFT Massachusetts,” Tang said. … “I look forward to working together with the members of AFT Massachusetts to build our power, not just as AFTMA members, but as a labor movement and in partnership with community allies.”

The AFT Massachusetts’s 200 delegates met and elected Tang at the union’s annual convention over the weekend. She will take over for Salem educator Beth Kontos, who served as the AFT-MA president since 2018.

The AFT- MA is the smaller of two statewide teachers union — behind the 117,000 member Massachusetts Teachers Association — and has members in districts in Boston, Chelsea, Lowell, Salem and more. Delegates also re-elected Brant Duncan as the union’s Secretary-Treasurer.

Advertisement

Tang, who started out as a middle school social studies teacher in Boston Public Schools, will be the first person of color to hold the AFT-MA presidential position. She has served as the BTU president since 2017 and was also the first person of color, first openly queer person and first woman in over thirty years to serve in the top BTU position.

In her campaign for the position, Tang cited priorities including a “strong presence” at the State House and in local communities, a “strong member-driven voice for change” in partnership with organizations like the MA Education Alliance, and helping locals “build power internally and externally.”

The incoming president is a Harvard graduate, a current Vice President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and co-founded Teacher Activist Group-Boston, Boston Education Justice Alliance and MA Education Justice Alliance.

Tang also serves within many boards and councils, including the United States Commission on Civil Rights Massachusetts State Advisory Council, Citizens for Public Schools, Private Industry Council and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance.

Outgoing president Kontos cited “incredible victories” in recent years, including passage of the Student Opportunity Act and the Fair Share Amendment, protections throughout the pandemic, and strengthening local contracts.

Advertisement

“Jessica has been a strong partner to me over the past six years, and her deep commitment to organizing and member voice will help move our growing union forward,” Kontos said.



Source link

Massachusetts

Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

Published

on

Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


Happy Tuesday! While today started off dry, we’re already looking at snow out there across the area. While this event will primarily stay as rain on the Cape and islands, it will be an icy mix of snow, ice and rain for the rest of us.

The rain/snow line will continue to advance from the south to the north as the evening progresses. Before the changeover, there will be a quick coating to 2 inches for most of our area.

The threshold between the snow and rain will feature sleet and freezing rain, leading to that icing.

For the rest of the night, there will primarily be rain with continued pockets of freezing rain, leading to increasing spotty ice accretion. Be extremely careful on roads, especially since switching between rain and freezing rain can wash off any road salt.

The rain and freezing rain will exit by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but temperatures will still be close to freezing during the morning commute, so watch out for some spotty black ice.

The rest of Wednesday will be really nice! Highs will warm up to the mid 50s with the help of ample sun.

Thursday we start off in the mid 20s and top off in the mid 40s. We’ll be partly sunny with another chance for some wintry weather Thursday night. This primarily looks like some rain and freezing rain, rather than the triple threat with snow too. We’ll keep an eye on that for you.

That will continue into Friday morning. The rest of Friday: cloudy with a chance for a spot shower and highs cooler again in the upper 30s. Saturday will be dry, breezy and cloudy but gorgeous near 50 degrees! There’s a chance for some rain showers Saturday night. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour before you to go bed!

Sunday we start the day mild in the 40s and make it all the way into the upper 50s with more sun. Monday and Tuesday both look bright and in the 60s! Stay tuned.

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox
Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Massachusetts

Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks

Published

on

Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks




Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks – CBS Boston

Advertisement














Advertisement



























Advertisement

Advertisement

Watch CBS News


Poya Sohrabi hasn’t heard from his family since they took shelter from attacks in Tehran. WBZ-TV’s Mike Sullivan reports.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Massachusetts

How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?

Published

on

How will the Iran war impact gas prices in Massachusetts?


With a widening conflict in the Middle East after the American and Israeli attack on Iran Saturday, global markets are bracing for a shakeup in the energy supply chain.

So, here at home, what can consumers expect at the gas pump?

An increase in oil prices is almost always followed by an increase in gas prices. And the oil market has already reacted to the war. NBC News reported on Sunday that U.S. crude oil initially spiked more than 10%, while Brent, the international oil benchmark, rose as much as 13%.

Early Monday morning, reports were coming in of black smoke rising from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait City.

Advertisement

While Iran’s oil reserves supply less than an estimated 5% of global production, the main concern is the Strait of Hormuz. This maritime passageway borders Iran at the bottleneck of the Persian Gulf, and more than 20% of the world’s oil passes through. If Iran closes or restricts Hormuz, the oil market could face severe disruptions.

Gas prices rise about 2.5 cents for every dollar increase in crude oil prices. As of Sunday, U.S. crude oil prices had already increased by nearly $5 a barrel.

“I fully expect that by Monday night, you could credibly say that gas prices are being impacted by oil prices having gone up,” GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC News.

GasBuddy characterizes their expectations for price increases as “incremental” rather than “explosive”. The group said to anticipate a potential 10-15 cent increase over the next couple of weeks.

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending