Massachusetts public employees, including educators, are currently prohibited by state law from engaging in a strike, regardless of their working conditions, their students’ learning conditions, or whether their employer may have committed unfair labor practices. This outright ban on public employees striking is deeply unjust, prevents educators from bargaining on a level playing field with their employers, and unfairly restricts the ability of educators to take collective action in support of themselves and their families, their students and the communities they serve.

An Act uplifting families and securing the right to strike for certain public employees would
address this injustice by:

• Allowing educators and other public employees, except for public safety personnel, to legally strike after six months of failed negotiations with their employer.
• Ensuring that the right to free speech is no longer restricted for public employees and their unions as it relates to discussing or supporting a strike.