JULY 2, 2026 | FREE
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HTA: Teacher’s nonrenweal was retaliation IN THIS EDITION By Tyler Garnet
tgarnet@thereminder.com
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Council approves fiscal 2027 budget The City Council passed an FY27 budget of approximately $213 million. Holyoke Teachers Association President Nick Cream speaks at public comment portion of the School Committee’s June 22 meeting in support of colleague Bob Williams, whose contract was recently not renewed. Photo credit: Holyoke Media
See HTA on page 2
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involved,” Fabricant said, “It is not hard to [draw] a straight line from their nonrenewal to their union activity.” An Action Network petition has also been created by HTA, where 1,268 letters have been sent at the time of publication to argue against the move. Kyle Chambers, a Holyoke Public Schools parent who said that Williams has advocated for the needs of the students, educators and staff, stated that, “every step of the way, [Williams] was a guiding voice.” He continued, “What this says to our hard-working educators and our students is a horrible message that if you stand up for what you believe in, if you advocate for your students and demand more from your district, you’ll be shown the door. As a parent, that is not messaging that I’m comfortable with our
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her colleague. “This member received proficient ratings on his evaluations and has never had a disciplinary meeting,” Fabricant stated. “This begs the question, why was this person not renewed?” Fabricant said Williams has been one of the most active union members and reinvigorated the union by helping run a slate of candidates who were elected two years ago. He also fought for an increase in resources from the Massachusetts Teachers Association, coordinated and attended trainings for members, helped form the building action team for the union, served as HTA building representative, was elected to the MTA board of directors representing Holyoke and Chicopee, and was a visible participant at standouts, bargaining sessions and School Committee meetings. “In other words, if the Holyoke Teachers Association is doing something, this member is
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of our union and city, and they have lifted their voices to make our schools better for the young people of Holyoke. Bob’s nonrenewal risks producing a chilling effect, making union members fearful to face similar retaliation for participating in protected union activities.” Cream said the HTA will challenge all cases of retaliation against all members exercising their protected rights as workers. He added that HTA leadership will file unfair labor practice charges against Holyoke Public Schools and its agents for their actions. “HPS must cease-and-desist in all acts of union interference and retaliation against employees exercising their rights under Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 150E, and in this case, reinstate Bob Williams immediately,” Cream concluded. Saskia Fabricant, an English development teacher at Holyoke High School, talked highly of
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HOLYOKE — Members of the Holyoke Teachers Association and other educators gathered outside the School Committee meeting on June 22 to protest what they say was the retaliatory nonrenewal of Bob Williams’ contract, alleging the decision was intended to target master teachers for their union activity. Many HTA members and Holyoke Public Schools colleagues joined the School Committee meeting to express their opposition to the nonrenewal during public comment. Williams, a 20-year veteran educator who has been teaching history at Holyoke High School North full-time for the last three years, was nonrenewed by the district the week prior. A petition formulated by his colleagues explained that proficient teachers, like Williams, are usually given Professional Teacher Status at the end of three years, especially in districts like Holyoke that struggle to hire and retain highly qualified teachers. Massachusetts law, meanwhile, allows the district to not renew any public school teacher without a reason within their first three years of employment. HTA President Nick Cream read a statement on behalf of the teachers’ association leadership that said they were aware of an incident at Holyoke High School in which an active member-organizer had their contract nonrenewed, and then was told by HHSN administration to cease self-organization on his own behalf. “We want to be clear that this is an explicit violation of protected union activity under Massachusetts General Law 150E,” Cream read. “Teachers with professional teacher status represent an incredibly strong and active part