Late in the afternoon of January 22, the Middlesex Superior Court issued a ruling on the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) motion of civil contempt order submitted earlier in the day. This motion was filed because the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) did not comply with the Court’s ruling to call an end the current strike by 3PM on Sunday, January 21. The Newton School Committee joined CERB as a co-plaintiff in these motions.
The ruling states the NTA will be subject to escalating fines of $25,000 today (Monday), $50,000 Tuesday, $100,000 Wednesday, and $200,000 Thursday if the strike is not over by 8PM on those respective days. If there is no settlement by Friday, the parties are due back in court that day.
CERB filed three motions earlier today: a motion for civil hearing on contempt, a complaint for civil contempt, and a memorandum with exhibits supporting the motions.
After this ruling was announced, NTA Elections Committee Chair Ashley Raven told Fig City News, “As a union we do not take the action of going on strike lightly. We knew there would be risks and ramifications, fines being one of them. Our priority is settling a contract that secures continued educational excellence for the students of Newton while also valuing, fairly compensating and respecting the work of Newton Educators.”
The NTA will hold a press conference at 7:30PM this evening, and the School Committee Chair and Mayor will hold a separate press conference shortly thereafter. Fig City News will cover both events as part of ongoing coverage of the Newton Teachers Strike.
