Teachers in three North Shore communities vote to authorize strike

MARBLEHEAD, Mass. — Classes in three different North Shore communities remain in jeopardy for Tuesday if no contract agreement is reached before the end of the holiday weekend.

Those communities are Gloucester, Beverly, and Marblehead after all three communities voted to authorize a strike within the past 48 hours. Both Gloucester and Beverly authorized their strike on Thursday, resulting in no school on Friday. Marblehead announced their intentions to strike if no deal is reached by Tuesday.

In Massachusetts, teacher strikes are illegal.

In all three communities, wages and working conditions are the issues of contention.

“These teachers have been fighting for a very long time,” said Gloucester teacher  Emily Harney. “Our paraprofessionals have been fighting for over 400 days without a contract. Now our teachers are a couple months out without a contract. We’re fighting for respect.”

In Beverly, School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said, that after months of negotiations, the two sides are millions of dollars apart.

“I think we are in agreement on a lot of issues. But the finances especially for the paraprofessionals seems to be one of the sticking points,” Abell said.

At a rally at Lync Park, Beverly Teachers Association President Andrea Sherman said members are prepared to stay on the picket line as long as it takes to reach an agreement.

“We know that striking is illegal and yet here we are. We feel we have no other recourse to et students what students need. Give students and staff what they need to run safe schools.” Sherman said.

Teachers in Gloucester and Beverly are facing court orders to end their strikes and return to class by Tuesday morning.

In a press conference on Friday, Marblehead teachers demanded better wages and working conditions after their vote.

“Our schools are in crisis, and the educators of Marblehead have collectively said, ‘Enough is enough,’” said MEA President Jonathan Heller, speaking to the press following the vote. “After seven months of negotiations, we are no closer to a solution, and the School Committee has failed to recognize the urgency of the situation. Our schools need fair wages, safe working conditions, and adequate resources to meet the needs of our students. Because of their refusal to act, we must take action to protect the future of our community.”

Contract terms that Marblehead Education Association has proposed include:

• Fair and competitive wages for educators and staff, many of whom are paid significantly less than their peers in neighboring districts.
• Modern, humane paid family leave to support educators and their families.
• Safe and supportive working and learning conditions for both students and staff, as Marblehead faces critical shortages in key staff positions

The MEA has also continuously expressed concerns over the quality of education students are receiving due to the inability to either recruit or retain staff. The MEA is asking the Marblehead School Community to meet and negotiate a resolution to the strike. “The School Committee can end this now. They can work with us and reach a settlement tonight,‚” said Heller. “We are prepared to negotiate around the clock to ensure there is no disruption in our students’ education next week.”

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

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