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LTU
The Lynn Teacher
A Publication of Lynn Teachers Union, Local 1037
Alice Gunning Retires
The Lynn Teachers Union has new leadership. After leading the LTU for more than nine years, Alice Gunning
retired in August of 2010. We will miss her! Alice has been a leader of the union here in Lynn since she began
her teaching career more than three decades ago. As a young teacher she walked the picket lines during the
infamous teachers’ strike of 1975, an experience that helped make her a trade union leader. During her time at
the helm of the LTU Alice was instrumental in developing the Educational, Research and Dissemination
(ER&D) program that provides teachers in Lynn with high-quality professional development. Her leadership
extended beyond the teachers, paraprofessionals and therapists whom the LTU represents. She also helped to
lead a coalition of labor unions in Lynn that successfully fought to keep public sector union members out of the
Group Insurance Plan and guarantee them quality health insurance at an affordable price. While Alice is looking
forward to enjoying her retirement, she hasn’t completely abandoned us. She has agreed to stay on part-time as
a mentor for the next year. “I’ll always think of myself as a proud and committed LTU member whether I’m
serving as your president or not,” Gunning said. “I look forward to seeing all of you at the holiday party.”
Negotiations
As many of you know, the LTU recently wrapped up negotiations for staff members at Level 4 schools. We
were able to guarantee that all staff will be compensated at their hourly rate for any additional work required
by state mandates. Negotiations will be ongoing as we address new issues, including a new teacher evaluation
system. The state is requiring that teacher evaluations be linked to student achievement at the Level 4 schools.
We’re working closely with the AFT to ensure that the evaluation mechanism is fair to all staff members.
Members of all LTU units are currently working under contract extensions. These will remain in place until
we reach an agreement with the Lynn School Committee. As we prepare to resume negotiations we’ve tried to
strengthen our negotiating teams so that all members are fairly represented.
Health care—For all city employees the current health insurance contract expires in June of 2011. The
insurance coalition, which includes all public sector unions in Lynn, recently met with Mayor Judy Kennedy
and plans to meet with her again in November. These are tumultuous times and in order to protect our benefits
it’s essential that we all stand together.
NEGOTIATING COMMITTEES
PARAS
TEACHERS
Colleen McElligott-Liporto
Philip McQueen
Erin Zukowski
Paul Mailloux
Richard Wall
Geoff King
Aili Knight
Deborah Wry
PARAS
Catherine Deveney
Veronica Picano
Barbara Houle
Terry Levasseur
Carol McPherson
THERAPISTS
Marie Cawlina-Kasle
Joanne Dupree
FROM THE PRESIDENT
First of all I’d like to introduce myself to any LTU
members that don’t know me yet. When Alice retired as
president this summer I was appointed to take her place
by our Executive Board. Prior to that, I served as the
First Vice President as well as the Sergeant at Arms. I
started out my career in the Lynn schools as a
paraprofessional, working one-on-one with an
emotionally troubled student at the Ford School. All in
all, I’ve taught at five Lynn schools: Harrington, Breed,
Connery and Pickering. For the last four years I’ve been
teaching math at Breed Middle School.
Since I started in my new capacity, I’ve been visiting
schools all over the city trying to meet as many of you
as I can. These are challenging times to be a member of
a teachers union. We are bashed in the media almost
every day even as the conditions we’re dealing with in
our classrooms keep getting tougher.
In a matter of days we’ll be going to the polls to cast our
votes in a very important election. One item that is on
the ballot is Question 3, a measure that would slash the
sales tax. According to the Item, Lynn stands to lose
$13.5 million in school aid if voters approve Question 3.
Ask yourselves: how many more schools will Lynn have
to close? How big will our class sizes have to get?
I hope you’ll also keep in mind how our elected officials
voted on the Education Reform Law that passed in
January. The Lynn contingent of McGee, Ehrlich,
Falzone, Fennell, and Walsh voted against this bill (our
way). Not only did the law take away collective
bargaining rights from educators but it also lifts the cap
on charter schools in Massachusetts, including here in
Lynn.
Upcoming Events
Election Day – 11/2/10
Executive Board Meeting – 11/10/10 –
Union Office - 3 p.m.
Retirement Workshop – 11/15/10 - Union
Office – 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Membership Meeting – 11/17/10 – Union
Office – 3 p.m.
Holiday Social – 12/9/10 – Angelica’s,
Middleton, MA – 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Scholarship deadline – 12/13/10 (High
school seniors who want to apply for a
union scholarship must register with their
guidance counselors before this date. For
more information visit the LTU website.)
Do you have an event or some good news
you’d like publicize? Send the relevant
information to the email address below.
The Lynn Teacher is published and
printed by:
Lynn Teachers Union
Local 1037 AFT AFL-CIO
679 Western Avenue
Lynn, MA 01905
781-599-5591
ltu1037@lynnteachersunion.org
www.lynnteachersunion.org
I’m proud to be the new president of the Lynn Teachers
Union, but let’s be clear here: I’m not the union—we
are. We’re going to be dealing with some tough issues
in the months and years ahead. Let’s stand together as
Lynn educators.
President: Brant Duncan
First Vice President: Colleen McElligott-Liporto
Second Vice President: Catherine Deveney
Secretary Treasurer: G. Donald White
Recording Secretary: Diane Dawe
Corresponding Secretary: Jeremy McKeen
Sergeant at Arms: Paul Mailloux
Respectfully,
Brant Duncan
.