As they crossed the state in their campaign, MTA President Matt Bach and Vice President Deb Gesualdo were struck not just by the similarity of concerns expressed by members, regardless of where they worked or what they did, but also by their awareness of the source of threats to public education – and the need for the union to fight them.
“I was surprised by how conscious they were of the political and economic threats to public education,” Bach said. “They are aware of what matters and they are very protective of their students. They know there is a rising lack of respect for what they do coming from big tech and AI. They want to make sure that we are ahead of that curve.”
Gesualdo, likewise, noted that while the jobs may be very different among preK-12 and higher ed members, all kept raising similar points.
Ticking off what she heard while campaigning, Gesualdo said: “We need to push back against big tech and AI; funding; thriving wages. We need to protect students and colleagues from authoritarianism in the workplace and in the government, and we need to fight the austerity narrative to ensure everyone has what they need to learn, grow and thrive.”
Newly installed as the MTA’s president and vice president, Bach and Gesualdo were elected by delegates at the 2026 Annual Meeting in May. Each took office in July, succeeding former President Max Page and Vice President Deb McCarthy.
While the MTA’s priorities ultimately are shaped by members and through a democratic process, in an interview for MTA Today, the new statewide leaders emphasized the importance of fighting for autonomy and dignity in the workplace.
“What comes out of that autonomy is not just a love of the craft of teaching but also an enthusiasm that really rubs off on all the students,” Bach said.
Bach and Gesualdo, both longtime local leaders, also shared their view that the MTA and its local associations play vital roles in protecting public education and workers’ rights, as both are under attack nationally by billionaires and corporate interests bent on keeping power and wealth consolidated to the very few at the expense of the overall public good and democratic principles.
Prior to their election as MTA officers, Bach served on MTA’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors and on various union committees. Gesualdo has served on the boards of directors for the NEA and MTA and was heavily involved in legislative work and political action.
Both most recently were presidents of preK-12 locals; Bach led the Andover Education Association, while Gesualdo was at the helm of the Malden Education Association.
It has been several years since both the MTA president and vice president came from the preK-12 ranks. But the new leaders have already built up familiarity with some of the bigger campaigns cutting across higher education locals. Bach pointed to the work higher ed locals across the UMass, state university and community college sectors did in shaping a campaign addressing the way the state creates financial parameters for bargaining contracts.
The establishment of free access to community college, thanks to funding from the Fair Share Amendment, has raised the issue of fair pay and staffing for faculty and staff represented by the Massachusetts Community College Council.
“We have to focus on making sure that the correct staffing matches the student enrollment and also that the staff is keeping up with other states’ community colleges, in terms of compensation,” Bach said.
Both Bach, a history teacher, and Gesualdo, a music educator, were presidents of local associations that voted to go on strike – Malden in 2022 and Andover in 2023. For Gesualdo, the experience showed her how deeply workers care for each other and how far they are willing to go to ensure everyone is being treated fairly and with respect.
In Andover, Bach learned the depth of community support for public education as parents and students supported the educators in their contract fight and continued to monitor how decisions about Andover public schools were being made.
“I also learned it’s an experience of solidarity that is transformative,” Bach said. “Many of the people I worked with for 25 years were rejuvenated and reaffirmed by the experience.”
Bach and Gesualdo credited educators they had as inspirations.
Asked what advice they would give new educators today, Gesualdo said she would remind them of the incredible impact they have on students and their communities, no matter their particular jobs as education workers. Bach said he’d tell them not to get discouraged as they navigate the profession’s learning curve and to not let others turn them off from being part of their local unions.
“This is a great time to be part of something bigger than yourself by joining and participating in your union,” he said.
