A Message from MNEA President Amanda Kail

 
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Greetings Mighty MNEA,

 I just want to take this opportunity to thank you all for an incredible first semester. I am extremely proud of the work we have done this year including:

  • 21 of our endorsed candidates for metro government won their offices

  • 306 new members this year. 261 of those joined since July. We now have over 1800 members, a 20% increase from the beginning of the year!

  • Successful completion of a 54-school listening tour in 3 days that netted over 100 new members and over a 1000 one-on-one conversations and completed school needs surveys

  • Winning the collaborative conferencing vote and every seat at the negotiating table

  • Many new Association Representatives and the creation of AR teams in many schools

  • Making sure Mayor Cooper made good on his promise for an additional 3% raise in January

  • Re-establishing regular meetings of the Professional Council, bringing together MNEA's executive board, MNPS chiefs, and associate superintendents on a monthly basis to discuss district-wide issues

  • Active role in creating the 2020-21 calendar

  • Establishing that planning/records days should be solely used as self-selected planning time for teachers

  • Hosting 5 member-engagement events since August

  • Becoming a satellite distribution center for LP Pencil Box

  • Helping to found a city-wide coalition of labor and community groups to fight for a moral budget in 2020

  • Joining Workers Dignity to push for an end to wage theft for construction workers doing MNPS projects

  • As of the January 24th paycheck, educators and support staff will be earning 6% more than they were last January

 

These victories happened because YOU worked to make them happen. The strength of unions has ALWAYS been the collective power of the members. When we stand up and fight together, we win. Despite encountering many obstacles, we should remember 2019 as the year that Nashville's teachers decided to fight, and the year that we started winning. You are proof that we will ALWAYS be greater than me.

Looking towards 2020, we certainly had much more to do. We are gearing up to build organizer teams and set up FACs in every school in the district, as well as preparing for the budget fight so our students have the schools and professional educators they deserve. But for now, I hope that you are able to take some much-needed time to rest and relax with loved-ones over the holidays.

 

Amanda Kail

MNEA President

 
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