Marblehead educators and the School Committee bargaining subcommittee met with a state mediator at the high school all day Saturday and again Monday, hoping to avert a teachers strike planned for Tuesday. The Marblehead Education Association planned a virtual press conference for Monday at 8 p.m.
The MEA has asked for higher wages (Marblehead educators are among the lowest paid on the North Shore), better family leave and bereavement benefits and a role in setting safety policies in schools. Teachers have been working without a new contract since Aug. 31.
The School Committee’s public relations firm released a statement Monday at 4:15 p.m. reading, “Unfortunately, the 34% increase the Marblehead Education Association is proposing is not affordable. In fact, it would create a $7.5 million shortfall in our existing budget that would require a property tax override, which voters have overwhelmingly rejected for nearly two decades. However, a failed override would result in layoff of approximately 75 staff.”
The statement continued, “Our proposal keeps all of our teachers employed and our class sizes intact with a 10.5% increase for all teachers and an additional 2% raise for teachers who are currently at the top of the pay scale, which is two-thirds of Marblehead teachers. Our offer would increase the average teacher salary to more than $100,000 and the top scale salary to $108,954 for 184 working days. Our proposals for the other bargaining units are similarly based on fair, affordable increases.”
Regarding the teachers’ request for more paid leave, the School Committee said it added, “a new benefit of 12 days of paid parental leave followed by the use of 20 paid sick leave days for a total of 32 paid leave days. Public employees are not covered by the state’s parental leave program, but teachers are allowed 15 sick days a year and can carry over unused sick leave from year to year, capped at 180 days. We have also offered to maintain a sick leave bank for teachers and create one for tutors, paraprofessionals, permanent substitutes and custodians to create a pool for them to borrow from if they need to supplement their earned sick time.”
The School Committee’s statement ended with, “The union’s all-or-nothing strategy — and their conspiring with other MTA (Massachusetts Teachers Association) unions in neighboring communities on this illegal strike — is only hurting the students. We want our school doors open, but so far the MEA is refusing to consider realistic options that are in the best interest of students.”
MEA response
The MEA responded to the School Committee, telling the Current, “The School Committee continues to put out misleading information about bargaining. There are no new tentative agreements since we began mediation. Prior to mediation, the School Committee acknowledged that even its last contract offer would require an override. The MEA is crafting proposals that meet the needs of the students, are mindful of town finances and would be achievable through an override that the community can support. The School Committee is not being transparent or putting forward proposals that will end the crisis facing our schools.”
Rallies, community support
Marblehead educators joined striking teachers from Gloucester and Beverly Monday afternoon at a large demonstration at Stage Fort Park in Gloucester.
Over the weekend, teachers, wearing red and carrying signs, rallied at popular spots around Marblehead, including outside Shubie’s and the Glover School. Many students and community members joined them.
The community launched an MEA Strike Fund for union members to help defray any court-imposed fines for the illegal strike. There was also a Feed Our Teachers sign-up to provide food to union members during bargaining and snacks to teachers at rallies.
The MHS National Honor Society offered free babysitting to parents impacted by the work stoppage.
‘Let them play. Let them sing.’
Interim Superintendent John Robidoux announced last week that all athletics, music and other extracurriculars would be canceled during a strike. Educators, however, offered to keep coaching and leading rehearsals. Parents and students urged Robidoux and the School Committee to allow sports and music to continue.
Parent Cindy Schieffer wrote to Robidoux on Nov. 10, “Your School Committee lays the decision to cancel sports and other extracurriculars entirely at your feet. They blame you. That said, can you please detail for your community the obstacles behind allowing them to proceed? We are motivated parents with time, energy and the financial means to get this done in any way possible.”
Schieffer continued, “What are the hurdles and how can we help? Parents are in conversation with METCO representatives and every organization affected by your callous cancellation. Put the students first. Talk to us. Make it work. We can do this.”
MHS teacher and football coach Jim Rudloff told the Current that he’s trying to keep his players positive.
“Our plan right now is to prepare to win a high school playoff football game Friday night,” he said. (Read more about the Magicians’ winning streak on Page 9.)
MHS Music Director Andrew Scoglio posted to Facebook, “The MEA has been saying, ‘Let them play. Let them sing.’ The performing arts students have lots of events this week that cannot be rescheduled. Same with some other clubs. I know robotics needs to continue in order to be on track for their upcoming competition in a couple weeks.”
Late Monday, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey released a statement about the North Shore negotiations.
“…our educators deserve good wages,” Markey wrote. “They deserve benefits and protections. They deserve a positive working environment that enables them to support students and communities. Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead value their educators and believe in investing in the education of all of our students.”
To read proposals from both the School Committee and the MEA, visit their respective links at marbleheadschools.org and linktr.ee/MarbleheadEducators.
