Anti-Privatization Task Force

The New MTA Anti-Privatization Task Force Has Your Back

Established by the MTA to publicly oppose the privatization of all institutions of public education or any of their components, the task force will support locals in myriad ways. In the face of the Trump administration's efforts to privatize much of pubic education, we all need to be on guard against privatization in our schools, colleges and universities.

WHAT IS PRIVATIZATION?

Often pitched as a cost-effective way to provide public services, privatization is a way for profiteers to feed off public monies in public education (and elsewhere) and turn over control of our public schools and facilities to corporations. This frequently results in:

Costs to the community, including loss of access to public services and unemployment opportunities, as well as loss of accountability to the public.

Costs to students, including additional student fees, lower quality services and reduced access to education.

Loss of educational quality, including depletion of academic freedom and shared governance, inferior and generic content.

Costs to employees, including union-busting, work overload, reduced benefits, contingent work, lower wages and fewer resources.

Educational privatization comes in all sizes. The most obvious examples may be charter schools and receivership at the preK-12 level and increased tuition and fees at the higher education level. But it also can take the form of privatization of dormitories and public land in exchange for private, up-front construction funding, also called private-public partnerships. Other examples include packaged curriculum, elimination of entire departments, privatization of campus bookstores and print shops, fundraising operations, transportation and cafeterias — or the private replacement of services including management consulting, counseling or special education supports, professional development, human resources, facility maintenance, security or health services. All of this can result in the replacement or loss of Education Support Professionals and other staff.

HOW WILL THE TASK FORCE FIGHT PRIVATIZATION?

The task force aims to provide easily accessible information to understand privatization in Massachusetts and tools for locals to organize against and fight privatization in their workplace. We will share examples of successful strategies, tactics and victories against privatization, lessons learned from losses, model contract language and ways for members to fight.

HOW CAN I OR MY LOCAL GET INVOLVED?

Please review our linked resources and contact task force members by filling out a form linked from the rail on the right of this page. Together, we will develop anti-privatization strategies to protect our public work and our students.

Co-Chairs: Joanna Gonsalves and Rich Levy

Staff Consultant: Miles Stern

Resources:

PreK-12 resources:

School Support Services Outsourcing: The Original Privatization of Education. (2024 NEA report, produced in partnership with In the Public Interest, a national nonprofit research and policy organization that examines public goods and services)
Privatization Does Not Pay. (Website with resources and strategies prepared by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America)

MTA:

"Public higher education workers urge state investment to protect colleges and universities from federal attacks." (March 2025, MTA News)
State Takeover Zones. (MTA webpage that describes efforts to fight against state takeover powers)
"Threat From the Right Intensifies." (2018 report for MTA on privatization and other threats to Massachusetts public education)
In The Public Interest Resource Guide. (Spring 2025, overview and resources provided by In The Public Interest)
Additional resources on privatization with reports and data. (Spring 2025, ITPI)