Woburn teachers to strike after negotiations end early Sunday night

WOBURN, Mass — Woburn schools will be closed Monday morning after the Woburn Teachers Association and the School Committee were not able to agree to terms on a new contract.

The Woburn Teachers Association says that the educators were prepared to negotiate through the bulk of Sunday night but Mayor Scott Galvin and the school committee walked out of the meeting shortly after 6:20 p.m. Negotiations began at 10 a.m. Sunday morning.

“The Mayor and School Committee showed a complete unwillingness to negotiate the paraprofessional contract or offer them a living wage,” said WTA President Barbara Locke in a statement. “We could’ve gotten this contract settled tonight. Unfortunately, their reckless refusal to continue negotiations tonight means the planned strike will start on Monday, January 29.”

It remains our mission to find a resolution that is mutually beneficial, fair to all stakeholders and will ensure a high-quality education for the students of Woburn,” the Woburn School Committee and Mayor Scott Galvin said in a joint statement.

Negotiations are scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. Monday morning. Although the schools will be closed, the teacher’s union says they will be on site to work the picket lines.

“We, at the WTA, hope that a resolution can be reached on Monday so that the educators of Woburn can return to doing what they love, which is getting back in the classroom to teach the children of Woburn,” says Locke.

According to the Union, the Mayor and School committee have rejected some of the following:

• A living wage for paraprofessionals to help fill vacant positions with high-quality candidates, allowing our students to get the services they need
• Physical education class twice a week for elementary students, which is comparable to surrounding districts.
• Smaller class sizes to allow for more individualized instruction and classroom engagement.
• Compensation for our educators - ensuring our ability to attract and retain in an increasingly competitive market
• Compensation for all workdays

Woburn School Committee released a statement Saturday decrying the strike and declaring it a violation of state law:

“A ruling was issued by the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) on the evening of Friday, Jan. 27 following a hearing, which concluded that the WTA, President Barbara Locke, its officers and the employees it represents are about to engage in a strike in violation of state law, and that the aforementioned parties are inducing, encouraging and condoning such action in violation of state law.”

According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 4,276 students are enrolled in the Woburn school system.

Boston 25 News has reached out to the Woburn School Committee for a statement and will update this story when we receive one.

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