A Tale of Two Cities, Part 2 - Boston vs. NYC: What Our Union Could Be Doing for Paraprofessionals

This is the second installment in our two-part series from A Better Contract (ABC). In Part 1, we looked at the Chicago Teachers Union’s big wins.

ABC Treasurer candidate Katie Anskat dives into the Boston Teachers Union’s groundbreaking contract for paraprofessionals—and contrasts it with the UFT’s attempt to sell a $10,000 non-pensionable bonus as a breakthrough.

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When I saw what the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) just secured for their paraprofessionals, I couldn’t stay quiet.

Because this isn’t just policy. It’s personal.

I teach in an inclusion classroom. I work side-by-side with paraprofessionals every single day. And I’ve seen what happens when our system fails to value them — not just as professionals, but as people. I’ve seen paras working two to three jobs just to make ends meet. I’ve seen them take the weight of a classroom on their shoulders without complaint. I’ve seen their brilliance, patience, and power.

And I’ve also seen the exhaustion. The tears. The feeling that no one is listening — not even the union that’s supposed to.

So when I saw Boston’s tentative agreement https://btu.org/contract-bargaining-updates — real raises, expanded benefits, and permanent pensionable raises — I didn’t just think, “Why can’t we have that?” I thought, “Why haven’t we fought for it?”

I don’t just see numbers with the Boston Tentative Contract. I see respect. I see a contract that says, “We see you. You matter.”

And when I look at what UFT leadership is offering paras here in NYC — a $10,000 bonus that isn’t even in the contract and doesn’t count toward your pension — I see the exact opposite.

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Real Raises vs. Temporary Bonuses

In Boston, paraprofessionals already start around $45,000 — and under their new tentative agreement, many will see raises of 20–30%, with some earning well over $53,000 by the end of the contract. These are pensionable, permanent raises that build a future — not a press release. That’s not just a raise — that’s stability, that’s dignity, that’s a union doing its job.

Here in NYC, while some paras can eventually reach similar earnings, it takes years of service and longevity steps — and most start far lower. Starting salaries for paraprofessionals are closer to $32,000–$34,000, depending on title and step. Instead of raising base pay, UFT is offering a non-pensionable $10,000 bonus that’s not in the contract, tied to a bill that hasn’t even been written, and can disappear at any time. That’s not respect — it’s election-season bait.

Meanwhile, UFT is flooding the airwaves with commercials pretending it’s already a done deal.

It’s not just misleading. It’s insulting.

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The Longevity Disgrace

In New York City, paraprofessionals are paid on a step schedule that requires them to wait years between raises — and the most meaningful increases don’t come until well after 10 years of service.

After 15 years, paras are eligible for longevity increases — but those are small, fixed amounts that top out around $1,000 per year. They're not percentage-based, and they do little to raise a para’s overall standard of living.

This structure punishes early-career paraprofessionals — the very folks who are often taking on the most intense student needs. Instead of getting paid for the value they bring now, paras are told to wait a decade or more for the salary they deserve.

Compare that to what Boston just did: front-loaded, pensionable raises that show respect immediately — not just when it’s “earned” through decades of underpaid work

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Conditions and Protections Matter

Boston didn’t stop at wages. They delivered real support and security:

• Paras can’t be excessed because of licensing gaps.

• Classrooms with high needs automatically get additional para support.

• They get 4 personal days, tuition reimbursement, and Line of Duty Injury (LODI) protections.

Here in NYC? Paras are in overcrowded classrooms with no cap. Still no LODI. Still treated like second-class employees — even though they’re the ones keeping classrooms and kids afloat.

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This Is Personal

I’ve been teaching in NYC for 17 years. I’ve sat beside paraprofessionals in tough IEP meetings, in crisis interventions, in early morning prep and late afternoon debriefs. I’ve watched them break up fights, manage impossible schedules, and love our kids fiercely through it all — often while working second and third jobs or wondering if they can afford to stay in this city.

I’ve also seen them cry in the hallway — feeling unseen, unheard, and unprotected by the very union that’s supposed to fight for them.

And now, they’re being told to clap for a $10,000 bonus that is not even a drafted bill yet? If it is written and passes, could it vanish in the next budget cycle or due to a new Mayor? These are the questions I am asked and it breaks my heart to admit the truth - that as of 4/5/25, there is no bill that exists for this paraprofessional bonus.

It’s unacceptable. We owe them so much more.

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A Better Contract Means A Better Union

We’re not here to make excuses. We’re here to make change.

We are proud to be supported by Fix Para Pay, a movement that has never stopped organizing for justice for paraprofessionals in NYC. And we proudly support them back.

Together, we’ll fight for:

• ✊ Pensionable raises that build lasting stability

• ✊ LODI protections that treat paras like the professionals they are

• ✊ Fair, front-loaded longevity and step increases that reflect the value paras bring today — not just someday

• ✊ Tuition support for all paras — not just those pursuing DOE-approved paths

Boston didn’t wait. They organized. And they won.

We can do the same — if we choose to fight.

Let’s stop settling. Let’s start listening.

Let’s build a union that reflects the very people who keep our schools standing.

When we fight, we win.

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