Although the Teachers Strike continues, and schools will remain closed on January 25, the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and School Committee each said, in separate press conferences at the end of January 24, that they had made real progress in their negotiations – and gaps remain.
Key points:
- The School Committee offered to add a fourth year to its Cost of Living Adjustment proposal. School contracts typically have terms of three years. The new proposal is to make a one-year contract for the current year, followed by a three-year contract.
- The School Committee made a counterproposal about parental leave, coming closer to the NTA’s position. It did not offer the 60 days the NTA seeks (an amount guaranteed to most employees by a Massachusetts law that does not apply to public school educators), but it opened the door for the NTA, in its words, to “focus on how to get to 60 days.” School Committee Chair Chris Brezski said, “We offered enhanced proposals on parental leave. …That costs money, and we have to find that money.”
- The parties agreed to finalize negotiations on the time-and-learning agreement, which had been a sticking point two days earlier. They are scheduled to do that in small groups the next morning.
NTA President Mike Zilles said of the progress, “We’re negotiating today. Real negotiating.”
School Committee Chair Brezski attributed the day’s progress to “several hours” of face-to-face discussions with NTA President Zilles to “speak quite frankly about what each side is looking to get from this — a different level of engagement than we have had in this process to date.” Asked how this interaction occurred, Brezski said, “I sent an email to Mike last night and asked if he wanted to take a walk today. He said, ‘Yes.’”
Significant gaps remain that likely can be filled only with additional funding.
- Brezski said, “If a fourth year of the contract is going to be a vehicle through which we ultimately reach agreement, we believe the City will have to provide incremental resources to NPS. …We are not going to agree to a contract that will result in a perpetual cycle of layoffs.”
- Zilles said, “The Mayor must fully fund the schools. There still isn’t enough money on the table for us to settle the contract.”
- Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said, “I agree that we need even more funding for the Newton Public Schools, and an override will be necessary to make a major leap forward. We tried once in March 2023. I look forward to helping and leading that effort in the future.”
Negotiations will continue on January 25. NTA President Zilles said that the full group would negotiate “from 1:30 until whatever time it takes to get this done, hopefully.” When asked if this meant the two sides would be ‘locked in a room until there’s agreement,’ he added, “[At 7PM], if we are still making progress, we will continue negotiating. We are committed to negotiating until we get a contract, and I think at this point, so is the School [Committee].”
If the strike continues into Friday, the NTA must appear at a hearing at noon that day in Middlesex Superior Court.
Adam Bernstein contributed reporting for this article.
