There are many unions across the country that represent so many workers. The Triton Regional School Committee has an agreement with Triton Regional Teachers Association for educational opportunities, teachers and students  rights, better wages, understanding pensions, and other benefits.

With the contract in the Triton district coming to an end soon on August 31, 2026, some of the Triton Voice staff wished to know more about it and educate others on the contract and how it can not only affect the teachers but the students as well if the union was unable to negotiate a fair new contract. Recently during this school year around October/November, several unions of teachers  in Massachusetts went on strike, these schools included: Gloucester, Beverly, Marblehead with Haverhill joining in.

What is the Teachers Union?

The unique English teacher and building representative for the Triton Regional Teachers Association, the local teacher’s union, , Margaret Flaherty, spoke about what the teachers union at Triton is. “Locally at Triton, the Triton Regional Teachers Association, is like a subset of the Massachusetts teachers association so it’s just districtwide. We will defend the contract here.” 

Flaherty addressed Triton’s plans with our contract ending soon and how the union strives to fix issues, like low pay rates and so much more.

“We go through negotiations, we have separate teams to negotiate, and a lot of the time it’s things like pay, but sometimes it’s about how we spend our time, said Flaherty” The union even negotiates about things you wouldn’t even think teachers would have to do. “In the past we negotiated with the school community about teachers’ dress code, and it has been something we negotiated down because we don’t want that at all.”

Here are some common questions and answers regarding teachers unions:

Why are people against Teacher Unions

According to Education Next, teachers in the unions use their political power to improve America’s public schools which may lead to lower student performance. These unions are made not only to protect the teachers but the students too, but sometimes they don’t and only focus on the teachers’ needs. 

Problems involving the Union

Triton Regional High school operates with the National Education Association (NEA), with each contract usually lasting for three years before they must be discussed again and a new one signed. Until a new one is signed, schools continue to operate on the previous contract.

If a new contract isn’t made and agreed on soon, it can be described as “disastrous.” Teachers will continue to work under the same salary, benefits, and working conditions just as before. If negotiations continue to stall a new contract, teachers then may only do what’s explicitly stated in their contracts. This includes no extra duties like after school help, depriving students who need help to be able to get it and succeed. Going a little more extreme, in some states teachers can go on strikes legally which may shut down schools. In other states, like Massachusetts where striking is illegal, it can lead to penalties. If strikes aren’t made then protests could be a possibility that happens. These can be such as rallies, walk-outs, or sick-outs to pressure school boards and the public.

Flaherty stated what she knew about what happens when a contract ends and a new one hasn’t been made yet.  “In my understanding is that you operate under the previous contract until a new contract is signed.”

Not only is it a problem for teachers but students eventually get affected with the effects slowly showing over time. At first there may not be any changes to the students but without a new contract for teachers to work under it is possible their morale and class engagement will likely lower, as perhaps they may feel underappreciated or unseen. Without teachers engaging and giving students a good environment to work in, their interest will decline.

Talking about teachers doing explicitly what is in their contracts, this could possibly take away extra afterschool time from students, clubs run by teachers, and extracurricular activities. Those may be some of the only things that students sometimes look forward to and feel they need. Getting rid of these things for students who participate will even further bring down their enthusiasm for coming into school and learning.

What happens if the Department of Education is defunded?

Donald Trump has been upholding his promise to abolish the Education Department affecting students’ access to grants and loans to higher education institutions.

“It would definitely make me more hesitant to get a loan, but I really want to go to college, so it’s kind of necessary to pay for that,” stated Adam White, a senior.. 

While discussing  student loans and the possibility of the Department of Education getting defunded, White said he  is looking forward to going to college and studying but the threat of receiving help from the department has become an issue. If Trump decides to go through with his plan, we may end up having a scary future for the education system. 

Sarah Scruton, the president of the teachers union at Triton, told  us what happens to unions if the department gets shut down and how they feel about it.

 “Unions operate outside the Department of Education, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t concerned about what is happening,” said Scruton. “Dismantling the Department of Education will have a significant impact on funding, students will bear the brunt of the cuts.  We have students who benefit from things like free lunch, Title I services, and student loans, to name a few services in jeopardy.  

“The impetus behind the dismantling of the Department of Education stems from the belief that the Department of Education is responsible for curriculum, but a little research would show people that curriculum is under local control and not mandated by the federal government.  

“Additionally, there is a push to privatize education, which will negatively impact public schools, especially schools in underserved areas. Teachers are willing to work hard to educate the public about the impact of reductions in the Department of Education on education at the state level, and that is a role the union may play concerning this issue. Teachers think you are worth investing in.”

Positives of the Teachers Union

Flaherty talked about the schools in Massachusetts who recently went on strike. 

“It’s hard to know how I feel because when reading in the press they talk about how strikes are an issue and an inconvenience but not the teachers pointing out an issue. So just as a general rule, if somebody is striking, I tend to be on their side. Because you don’t know just, with teachers there’s a law against us teachers going on strike I will say in general, especially with teachers, it’s very important that teachers have unions cause you will always hear do it for the kids but you can only do so much for the kids, we are human beings too.” stated Flaherty. 

The schools in Gloucester, Beverly, Marblehead, and Haverhill went on strike for smaller class sizes, longer paid parental leave, pay increase for paraprofessionals, safer conditions for schools and more prep time for elementary schools. Many people 

got involved with the strike and were helping these teachers to get the problems resolved.

“At the end of this school year, we will put together a team to represent the teachers at each school.  In September, which is the third year of our three-year contract, we will meet with Mr. Forget the members of the school committee and each group brings their proposals to the table.” stated Scrouton