In Amherst, teacher contract negotiations stretched nearly six months and included an unsuccessful nine-hour mediation session. During the process, the school board relied on self-imposed limitations that restricted flexibility in negotiations and often rejected union proposals without offering alternatives. Despite these challenges, Amherst Education Association members—backed by the training, research, and staff support provided through NEA–New Hampshire—continued to organize, regroup, and push forward.
Our negotiating team drew on national NEA and state NEA-NH training in negotiations, communications, and organizing, and a local internship program helped build long-term negotiating capacity. Access to NEA-NH’s statewide contract database and research tools was critical in grounding our proposals in fact and countering the school board’s cost arguments. In the final week before the budget deadline, direct support from NEA-NH staff—including UniServ and communications support—helped sharpen our messaging, coordinate outreach, and amplify a visibility and social media campaign.
“There is no way we could have successfully made it through this process without the constant support of our UniServ Director, Lorri Hayes, and the staff at NEA-NH who helped keep our team moving forward,” said Amherst EA Negotiations Chair Larry Ballard.
Amherst EA members turned out to speak at a school board meeting, stood together publicly in solidarity, and engaged the community by asking for their help to call the board back to the table. With less than 24 hours remaining before the budget deadline, that coordinated collective action pushed the board to re-engage, resulting in a fair one-year agreement and a stronger position for negotiations next year.
(Photos: Amherst EA members conducting visibility events during pickup/dismissal times, AEA members attending a school board meeting to speak during public comment).
Amherst Teachers Deserve a Fair Contract!
