DEDHAM, Mass. — Dedham Public School teachers decided on Thursday to go on strike.
In a meeting at the American Legion Post 18 at around 5 p.m., the teachers voted 275 to 2 to go on strike over prolonged contract talks with the town's school district.
"It's sad, it's sad that it had to come to this," said Timothy Dwyer, president of the 270-member Dedham Education Association (DEA).
There will be no school for students in Dedham on Friday due to the strike.
The union has been in contract talks for months now, calling for better healthcare coverage and salaries.
While most thought the vote would take hours, it only took about one and it was almost unanimous.
Teachers say this will be their second school year without a contract. Some union members say the last straw was when a move was made recently to ask members of the bargaining committee to use a personal day to join negotiations with the district.
"I am opposed to the fact that I would have to use my personal days to settle a contract that the administration has publicly said is the number one priority to settle," said Rachel Dudley, a DEA Bargaining Team member.
In a statement following the vote, Dwyer said, in part:
"The members of the DEA have not been treated fairly or with any sort of respect since we started bargaining this contract nearly two years ago. We were pushed into taking this extreme step and want to return to the bargaining table so we can get back to the classroom."
On Friday, union members began striking at school buildings.
The DEA says they are demanding Superintendent Michael Welch and the School Committee "settle a fair contract, one that respects educators' professionalism and takes into account the financial impact on educators who switched into the town's new high-cost health insurance plans."
Dudley said, "Our fight for a fair contract is about ensuring that the community has access to the best possible public schools. The issues we want resolved – including best use of educator time, policies for student use of technology, and a means to address sexual harassment—are concerns brought forward by classroom teachers. Our work environment is the learning environment for Dedham children."
Picketing started at 6:30 a.m. on Friday at Dedham High School, 140 Whiting Ave., Dedham. DEA members began picketing at 7 a.m. at the middle school and at 7:30 a.m. at the elementary schools."
The district says it has already filed a petition with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations seeking an intervention to the strike.
Public school teachers are prohibited by law to strike in the state of Massachusetts, and it's rare that they would happen.
"It is illegal but it is not a crime for teachers to strike in Massachusetts and enough is enough, we're done," said Dudley.
The last time a teacher's union voted to strike was in 2007. At the time, Quincy teachers were on strike for four days and had to pay back the school district $100K.
In a statement on Thursday, the Dedham School District issued a statement following the strike vote:
"The Dedham Public Schools are disheartened to have been made aware that the Dedham Education Association (DEA) has voted to proceed with a strike, effective on Friday, October 25, 2019. Unfortunately, the ones most hurt by this decision are the students and their families. With all District decisions, the security and emotional well-being of our PreK - 12 students is of foremost concern. As a result of this vote, the Dedham Public Schools will conduct a District In-Service Day on Friday October 25th. There will with no school for PreK - 12 students in the seven district schools on Friday, October 25, 2019. All Dedham Public School employees and educators are expected to report to work. At every point of this process over the last 21 months, the District has urged that educator contract negotiations not seep into the classroom and distract our students from their education. New offers from the Dedham School District, provided to the DEA for consideration as most<br/> recently as yesterday, in attempts to bridge differences and avert any larger actions, have been rejected outright by the DEA. 'We take the concerns of our educators seriously and have worked over the course of the last 21 months of negotiations to offer consideration and negotiated agreement to dozens requests presented by the DEA at the outset of negotiations,' notes Superintendent Michael Welch. This vote to strike comes just weeks before both sides are scheduled to meet with an independent arbitrator for a fact finding session, in attempts to reach a fair and equitable contract. 'As a district, we are saddened that our educators have chosen to consider this drastic and harmful action,' said Welch. 'We wholeheartedly appreciate and support our wonderful educators. They have shown unwavering enthusiasm and engagement in the classroom, and they have been propelling the incredible advancements we've made in our schools over the last few years, despite this ongoing difficult contract process. When it comes to finding a resolution that is agreeable to all, the Dedham School Committee<br/> would continue to remind our educators, parents and community that as elected officials, we are charged with finding a balance between what our budgets can sustain year over year and what our teachers so rightfully deserve.'"
Following the picketing on Friday, the school district released another statement in regards to the strike:
"It is good to see that our amazing teachers have inspired so much loyalty and support from our community. The District wants nothing more than to reach an agreement and get our students and educators back in the classroom. We have offered to continue negotiations and await a meaningful response from the DEA."
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