Congrats to MEA-MFT's members of the year! 02/06/2012
Each year, MEA-MFT honors several members who have made outstanding contributions in their jobs and as MEA-MFT leaders. MEA-MFT recently named our 2012 members of the year.
MEA-MFT COPE recommends Monica Lindeen for state auditor 01/30/2012
“Monica Lindeen has an impressive record of standing up for Montana citizens, protecting them from investment fraud, Ponzi schemes, and abuses by some insurance and securities companies,” said COPE member Janice Muller, a teacher in Hamilton.
Sensible solutions for state pensions 01/19/2012
Our public employee retirement systems are not going bankrupt today or tomorrow or in the immediate future. We have plenty of time to address unfunded liabilities if our legislature would abandon pension-envy politics and hysterical, too predictably partisan, rhetoric.
MEA-MFT Regional Training, Great Falls 01/18/2012
Are you an MEA-MFT member living in North Central Montana? Want to learn more about your contract, bargaining basics, making your local union all it can be, and more? Want to meet fellow MEA-MFT members from around the region? Then this is for you.
MEA-MFT COPE recommends Jon Tester 01/17/2012
“He’s right on education, right on public services, right on jobs, and right on the rights of working people to bargain collectively. He has a strong track record on all these issues.”
Dr. King, education, public service, & labor unions 01/13/2012
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dedicated his life to working for a more just and equal society. He believed that public education was the great arm of justice. He honored public servants as heroes. He believed in labor unions.
Sign petition in support of Head Start 12/16/2011
Funding for 2012 is still undecided, so now is the time to make Congress aware of the power of Head Start for children, families and communities. You can make a difference!
The money was there all along 12/06/2011
It's official: state revenues are even higher than the highest predictions. "The money was there all along to thaw state employee pay, to invest in k-12 and higher education, to build infrastructure and create good paying jobs, to avoid passing unavoidable costs down to local property tax payers and students.
Ohio voters crush attack on collective bargaining 11/09/2011
Congratulations to our brothers and sisters in Ohio! In a landslide victory, Ohio voters voted down a bill that would severely curtail the collective bargaining rights of public employees.
Workplace bullying resources 09/12/2011
MEA-MFT Faculty Member of the Year Grant Mitman recommends the following resources on workplace bullying, from a special session at this year's NEA Representative Assembly.
Who do you "heart" this Labor Day? 08/29/2011
This Labor Day, let your family, friends and the public know that you support America's workers and the important work they do all year.
National poll shows strong support for teachers 08/17/2011
Americans admire and respect public school teachers more than ever. They respect the teaching profession, they like their local schools, and they recognize the role funding plays in school qualtiy.
Americans want jobs, not cuts to Social Security & Medicare 08/12/2011
The American Dream movement is busy this summer telling Congress what Americans really want when it comes to government spending and the economy. There’s a Contract For The American Dream that lays out a progressive alternative to austerity policies.
ALEC outed: the right-wing conspiracy behind bad bills 08/04/2011
Who's behind efforts to destroy public employee unions in Wisconsin and elsewhere, shove right-wing legislation through state legislatures, and turn over public services to for-profit corporations? Meet ALEC.
The debt ceiling deal: our take 08/02/2011
MEA-MFT is evaluating exactly how badly the newly adopted federal deficit/debt ceiling act will impact Montana public programs and services.
Unnecessary cuts hard to forget 07/22/2011
As we begin this fiscal new year, it’s a good time to think about what your state legislators are working toward: Long-term prosperity for Montana? Or pulling the rug out from under those trying to make a better life for themselves and their communities?
Unions key to reviving the middle class, Krugman says 07/12/2011
Many of the remedies being misapplied to the nation's ailing economy are nothing more than public policy myths that grew out of the oil-shock recessions of 40 years ago, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman told an AFT TEACH conference audience on July 11.
Yep, the money was there 06/15/2011
All through the 2011 session, MEA-MFT said the money was there to fund public education and public services. And it was. Every dollar of destructive cuts made by the 2011 Legislature were completely unnecessary.
Keep the Rally Alive! 06/04/2011
Please help keep the spirit of our April 1 No Fooling with our Future Rally strong!
Denise Juneau vs NCLB 05/12/2011
Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau recently drew a line in the sand with the No Child Left Behind Act.
Session over 05/02/2011
The 2011 Montana Legislature has finally ground to a halt. Final bill status report
How high are taxes? 04/30/2011
Despite the outcry from conservatives about taxes, tax collections are in fact at historic lows and tax rates for the rich have been declining for years.
Victory on teacher tenure! 04/27/2011
The House rejected SB 315 (Ripley) - a bill to redefine good cause and truncate due process in the teacher tenure statutes.
Help pass the jobs bill 04/18/2011
Apr. 18 - Today, the only real jobs bill – HB 439 (Hollenbaugh) - is up for what could be its final vote, in the House. It must receive at least 67 or a 2/3ds vote. You can help.
Teacher tenure attack still in play 04/13/2011
For the second time, the Montana House has passed consideration of SB 315 (Ripley), the attack on teacher tenure. Your e-mails are working. Keep it up!
Veto branding begins 04/13/2011
Several MEA-MFT members, governance, and staff walked across the street from MEA-MFT's headquarters office in Helena to attend Governor Schweitzer's branding party today.
Budget cut battle 04/12/2011
Apr 13 - Where the budget battles stands now. All cuts hurt!
HB603 tabled! 04/11/2011
Great news: HB 603, the insidious school privatization bill, was tabled Apr. 11. SB 315 remains and needs your URGENT ACTION.
Retirement bill status 04/11/2011
MEA-MFT President Eric Feaver is quoted extensively in the two newspaper articles below. MEA-MFT has worked hard, every day, in this legislative session to protect our members' public employee defined benefit plans.
MEA-MFT Members of the Year 04/06/2011
More than 350 MEA-MFT members from across Montana honored three of their peers at a gala celebration in Helena April 1.
Rep. Assembly report 04/06/2011
The largest MEA-MFT Representative Assembly (RA) in history took place in Helena April 1-2. More than 350 delegates attended, representing 97 MEA-MFT locals.
Putting a face on the budget cuts 03/29/2011
MEA-MFT is part of a coalition called the Partnership for Montana's Future, which just completed a video that puts a face -- many faces, actually -- to the Montana Legislature's needless budget cuts. Take a look.
School funding bill dies 03/24/2011
The Senate has killed SB 403 (Jones) – the latest k-12 school funding bill. Schools contemplate layoffs due to legislative gridlock.
Dangerous: HB 603 03/24/2011
HB 603 is one of the most dangerous school privatization bills ever introduced.
No Fooling w/our Future Rally Apr. 1 03/23/2011
At least a thousand Montanans from all over the state are expected to attend the rally against the legislature's senseless cuts to state services and education. Join us April 1 for the rally!
Wisconsin GOP strips worker rights 03/10/2011
March 9 - In a blatant abuse of power, Wisconsin Republican lawmakers dealt a blow to the working class tonight with passage of the anti-union provisions of Gov. Walker’s Budget Adjustment Bill on an 18-1 vote.
The anti-union agenda 02/24/2011
These two editorials speak to a phenomenon we're seeing in Montana too – and MEA-MFT is fighting back.
The money IS there 02/24/2011
Legislatiave Fiscal Analyst says the State of Montana will collect $97 million more in revenues over the next 2½ years than he projected in mid-November. Yet still the majority party insists on draconian cuts.