Beverly mayor joins negotiations as striking teachers call on him to resign over ‘insulting’ offer

BEVERLY, Mass. — The mayor of Beverly has joined ongoing contract negotiations in an effort to strike a deal with picketing teachers, who are now calling on him to resign over what they have described as an “insulting” contract offer.

Educators rallied at Beverly City Hall on Friday, where they claimed to have enough signatures to recall Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill and Beverly School Committee Chair Rachael Abell, Boston 25′s Bob Ward reported.

Teachers in the North Shore community have been on strike since Nov. 8, with the Beverly Teachers Association accusing the school committee of attempting to revoke their right to take FMLA -- paid or unpaid -- in their latest proposal.

“This is incredibly difficult for us. We’re feeling unheard and disrespected. And we’re feeling that our school committee doesn’t seem to want to open schools,” Andrea Sherman, co-president of the BTA said.

Abell said in a statement that she is hopeful Cahill’s expertise in city finances will help the school committee “move faster toward finalizing contract negotiations” with the striking teachers.

“We believe Mayor Cahill, with his vast experience in city finances and negotiations, will help us bring this mediation to a favorable resolution,” Abell explained. “We hope our colleagues at the BTA will see this move as it is intended – to show the leadership of this city is united and determined to reach a fair settlement which honors our teachers and lives within the city’s means.”

Cahill replaces Dr. Jeffrey Silva on the city’s negotiations subcommittee, who had spent nearly 75 hours at the negotiations table before deciding it was time to shake things up.

Abell said Silva’s “selfless decision” was made “in the best interest of advancing negotiations and getting our students back in school.”

While teachers have blasted the latest offer from the city, Cahill said that the school committee “has provided educators with a strong, comprehensive package proposal.”

Despite the impasse, Cahill said the city will “continue to negotiate in good faith” to reach an agreement that “brings our students and educators back to school on Monday.”

“The school committee believes we have continued to make progress and we look forward to a swift resolution,” Cahill explained. “I need the community to know we are doing everything we can to settle this labor action, to achieve that fair contract we all believe must happen, and to get our students back to school.”

Teachers in the nearby North Shore communities of Gloucester and Marblehead are also on strike.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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