MARBLEHEAD, MA — As Marblehead teachers, custodians and other union professional staff entered their sixth week working without a contract and their second week since implementing “work-to-rule” conditions, the latest bargaining session with the School Committee left the sides “very far apart on wages still” as part of a new deal.
Marblehead School Committee member Sarah Fox issued a statement on behalf of the Bargaining Sub-Committee saying that the district made a revised offer to all five bargaining units, while the Marblehead Education Association made a counteroffer on behalf of teachers, tutors and custodians, but that the night ended no closer to a new collective-bargaining agreement.
“The Sub-committee has made significant movement, however, continues to be forced to balance the fiscal realty with the financial impact of all offers,” the School Committee statement said. “With the anemic new growth in Marblehead’s revenue stream, any increases will need to be funded either through an override or significant staff reductions.”
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Marblehead voters rejected tax override ballot proposals twice in the past four years — including a two-to-one rejection of a general override specifically for schools in 2022.
“The unions continue to claim certain requests have no financial impact despite a clear financial cost to the district which the committee must factor into any proposals,” the statement said. “The Sub-Committee was hopeful both parties would be able to reach an agreement tonight given they presented updated proposals on all five bargaining units.
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“However, the parties remain very far apart on wages still.”
Marblehead teachers last week voted to work only contractually obligated hours and responsibilities — ceasing activities such as chaperoning, after-school help and serving on committees on certain days — effective immediately in a move the MEA said was in response to the stalled negotiations.
Under the “work-to -rule” conditions, the MEA said members will end all voluntary work on certain school days, will enter their schools in unison at the contractual start of their day, and hold informational pickets outside of school.
Teacher unions in Beverly, Gloucester and Revere voted to commence similar measures amid their own contract impasses later last week.
“The School Committee wants to intimidate the community into believing that what we’re fighting for is unreasonable, or impossible,” MEA co-president Jonathan Heller said last week. “What’s truly unreasonable is their attempt to hide their own financial malfeasance and mismanagement in not advocating for the funding our schools deserve. We will continue to present them with solutions to the problems in our schools.”
The School Committee said its latest proposal includes wage group adjustments that would result in a 69 percent increase over three years for some paraprofessionals.
“The Sub-committee will continue to work towards this goal, maintaining their position that Marblehead Public Schools is an attractive employer as evidenced by our new administration’s ability to quickly fill the majority of recent vacancies,” the School Committee said.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for Oct. 21.
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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