300 March in Amherst

More than 300 people marched in Amherst on August 27. They were calling for jobs with justice. “For more than a year, UMass has dragged out bargaining a new contract with the 2,400 members of the Professional Staff Union, which represents staff members at both the Amherst and Boston campuses and includes social workers, residence directors, and other staff throughout all areas of campus,” Ari Jewell told the Valley Post. Jewell is one of the workers.

UMass Boston has 16,000 students. UMass Amherst has 32,000 students. The workers have a web site at:

https://umasspsu.org

Photos of the march are at:

https://www.amherstindy.org/2025/08/27/labor-rally-at-umass-demands-fair...

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The Valley Post went to a picket line in Brattleboro on August 22 and interviewed two workers. About 30 workers were picketing outside the high school. At the same time, more workers were picketing outside one of the Brattleboro elementary schools. Details about the ongoing struggle are at:

https://valleypost.org/node/1977

Gretchen Harvey has been a school bus driver in Brattleboro for 21 years. She said, “I've been part of the negotiations. If we accepted the contract the company is offering now, it would be bad. We need wages equal to what school bus drivers in Swanzey, New Hampshire (near Brattleboro, Vermont) earn. Some of the drivers in Brattleboro are on Medicaid, which is going away. Some of us have second jobs that we do between when we drop the kids off in the morning and when we pick them up in the afternoon. If there's a snow storm or a power outage – there have been schools that lost heat – the company calls us and we need to be available immediately. The same thing happens if there is a two-hour delay to the start of school due to a storm. If we're five minutes late we deal with disgruntled parents."

Brian Johnston has been a school bus driver in Brattleboro for three years. He said, “I drive a bus for students with special needs. I have a monitor but it still should be one student per seat. The company is trying to put more than one kid in every seat. On my bus, there is a lot of noise and distraction. In winter, dealing with snow an ice takes experience.”

The company has been using scabs, which has led to all kinds of problems. Details are at the workers' facebook page:

www.facebook.com/Vermontlocal597

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On August 28, the Pioneer Valley Workers' Center sent a mass email that says, “On August 25, farm worker and PVWC member leader Demetrio was on his way to a local court hearing at 8:30 a.m. when he was kidnapped by federal agents enforcing a civil immigration detainer. Even though Demetrio was doing everything to stay in compliance with Massachusetts law, ICE arrested him, interrupting due process and taking away his right to a hearing. Demetrio is a long-time farm worker, who spends each growing season working long hours to harvest the fruits and vegetables that the valley is known for. Join the Pioneer Valley Workers Center and Neighbor to Neighbor on Labor Day to stand in solidarity with Demetrio and all workers detained by ICE. The community will gather for a vigil on September 1 at 5 p.m. in Springfield on Court Street across from city hall.”

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