Matt Bach, an Andover history teacher, begins his term as president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association today, joined by Deb Gesualdo, a Malden music educator, as the new MTA vice president.
Bach and Gesualdo were elected to respective, two-year terms at MTA’s Annual Meeting of Delegates in May.
Bach was president of the Andover Education Association before winning statewide office. Bach has been a member of MTA’s Executive Committee, Board of Directors and other committees shaping the union’s work.
Bach was president of the AEA when the local union went on strike in 2023 amid contentious contract negotiations between the union and Andover School Committee. The AEA won a contract that dramatically boosted wages for underpaid instructional assistants, secured paid family and parental leave for all of the town’s educators, and guaranteed recess time for elementary school students.
“The public understood what we were fighting for and why it was so important to address the injustice of not paying educators a fair wage and to offer educators the type of humane and sensible, paid parental leave available to workers in the private sector,” Bach said. “Our fight was about securing the public investment in education that is necessary to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of every student. That struggle is playing out across the state, and I plan to keep the MTA engaged in the work of making sure that the state is providing cities and towns what they need to fully fund public schools. Likewise, we will continue to advocate for debt-free and tuition-free public colleges and universities.”
Gesualdo was president of the Malden Education Association prior to her election as MTA vice president. She has served on the MTA Board of Directors and NEA Board of Directors. Gesualdo also has been active on the MTA’s Resolutions Committee and the NEA’s Legislative Committee.
Gesualdo was president of the MEA when the union voted to go on strike in 2022 following months of stalled contract negotiations with the city’s school committee.
In addition to prioritizing better wages for paraprofessionals, the Malden contract fight won provisions to have schools address the impact of housing insecurity on students. The agreement became a signature of the MTA’s goal to have local unions organize for the common good.
“What happens outside of the classroom significantly influences what happens inside the classroom. Educators can play a vital role in harnessing civic engagement and political action to help our students and their families,” Gesualdo said.
Learn more about the new MTA leaders
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