BASIS Tucson North Ratifies Contract

TUCSON, Ariz.—BASIS Tucson North educators ratified their first collective bargaining agreement this week, making it the only charter school in Arizona to be unionized, AFT Local 6627, Arizona Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff, AZ-ACTS, said today.

 

The 55 teachers and staff of BASIS Tucson North (a 5th- to 12th-grade school) said they wanted a union to be able to advocate for students’ needs and to ensure financial transparency by the school’s for-profit operator, BASIS LLC. AZ-ACTS said the contract secures for the educators an end to unjust labor practices through enforceable terms of employment, a grievance process and guaranteed raises and benefits.

 

Randi Weingarten, president of the AFT, AZ-ACT’s parent union, said the Local 6627 members did brave and important work to organize the union and achieve a contract.

 

“This is the first contract for an Arizona charter school, laying a strong foundation for rights and a voice for educators at their school and showing others at unorganized charters the way to move forward. This contract will help educators in charters in Arizona and elsewhere to see how important it is to have a union,” Weingarten said.

 

BASIS operates other charters in Arizona (including several in Phoenix), Texas, Louisiana and Washington, D.C.

 

U.S. News & World Report rated Tucson North as the best high school and best charter school in the country in its 2025-26 report.