HTA officially votes in favor of new contract with salary increases

Members from the Holyoke Public School district demonstrated walk-ins at their respective schools in 2025.
Reminder Publishing file photo

HOLYOKE — The Holyoke Teachers Association ratified a contract that makes new Holyoke teachers among the highest paid in the area and increases teacher salaries over three years by 20%.

Following more than a year of back-and-forth discussions, HTA members voted to ratify a new three-year agreement with Holyoke Public Schools by a 310-11 vote on May 12, the last step needed before the new contract could officially be implemented.

The vote came six days after the HTA and Holyoke School Committee bargaining teams announced that they reached a tentative contract agreement during their mediation session.

HTA President Nick Cream said in a statement to Reminder Publishing that the HTA was happy with both the turnout from its members and the results of the ratification vote. The HTA had almost 70% of its members show up for the vote, a historic percentage for the union, according to Cream.

“With 97% of those who voted voting to ratify the contract, we believe that our members stand behind this contract, in spite of the concessions made in the end. We have made some significant gains and believe this contract sets us up to continue building our union’s power under local control. The HTA is grateful for all of our members who supported this contract campaign because we would not have been able to do it without everyone in our union. We are excited to work with district leadership, including Superintendent [Jackie] Glasheen, to retain quality educators in Holyoke in order to provide our students the education they deserve,” Cream stated.

Mayor Joshua Garcia also expressed his appreciation to the Holyoke School Committee and the bargaining team that was appointed.

“Throughout this process, they remained patient, thoughtful, disciplined, and committed to reaching an agreement that is both fair to educators, fiscally responsible to taxpayers, and keeps the focus on our students. These negotiations were not easy, but their representation of the Holyoke people, professionalism, and care helped keep the process moving forward productively, despite challenges along the way,” Garcia stated.

Garcia concluded, “This moment reminds us that when we work together, stay grounded in reality, and remain focused on the students we serve, we can achieve meaningful outcomes for Holyoke.”

This is the first contract bargained between the union and city officials since state control of the Holyoke Public Schools ended on July 1 2025.

The last HTA contract expired on June 30, 2025, and negotiations have been ongoing since February 2025. Teachers worked nearly 300 days under the terms of an expired and outdated contract.

According to Holyoke Public Schools, the HTA contract agreement includes:

• More than a 20% increase in teacher salaries over three years (average increase of $12,750).
• A starting salary of $55,000 for new teachers with a bachelor’s degree, which is the highest among nine nearby comparison districts, according to the city.
• A significantly reduced workday and work year.
• Enhanced sick, personal and other leave benefits.
• Additional opportunities for teacher voice to inform decision-making.
• Health and safety language to protect staff and students.
• Yearly COLA and a compensation system that ensures retention.
  Furthermore, the May 6 mediation session with the HTA produced compromises in six areas, which helped both bargaining teams reach the agreement:
• Reduction of annual teacher workdays to 185, which is down from the current 188 days per school year and a reduction from the previous tentative agreement of 186.
• Introduction of a third educational lane for those with two master’s degrees/certificates of advanced graduate study, while maintaining a fourth lane for professional licensure on the salary schedule.
• Seven days of leave for child bonding, which is up from five that were part of the district’s earlier proposal.
• Reduction of eligibility requirement to use catastrophic leave from five years to three years.
• Greater flexibility in using bereavement leave.
• Superintendent discretion to allow more categories of employees to be eligible for additional compensation in critical needs areas.

The newly approved contract also includes retroactive pay.