On Thursday, February 1, both the Commonwealth Employement Relations Board (CERB) and the Newton School Committee filed Emergency Motions for Reconsideration of Sanctions against the Newton Teachers Association and a request for an immediate hearing. See Emergency Motion for Reconsideration of Sanctions and Immediate Request for Hearing and Memorandum of…
Posts published in “Negotiations”
On January 31, while the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and School Committee held their nightly press conferences inside the Education Center, two groups — NTA supporters and members of the recently formed Kids First — gathered outside, presenting different messages. NTA members and supporters continued their day-long rally, singing, dancing,…
On January 31, the School Committee and Newton Teachers Association (NTA) continued to meet, and at the end of the day, each side acknowledged some progress was made and that the remaining gap is primarily financial. Late in the evening, the parties continued to meet as the strike continues. Schools…
National Education Association President Becky Pringle echoed messages from Massachusetts Teachers Association leaders that the striking Newton teachers were fighting a larger fight for education. The NEA – the nation’s largest labor union – joined other unions, including The Teamsters and AFL-CIO — in endorsing the Newton Teachers Association (NTA)…
School Committee Chair questions what the strike is really about. On January 30, the School Committee presented a revised proposal to the Newton Teachers Association (NTA), and the NTA said that it would respond with its own revised proposal at noon on January 31. The Teachers Strike continues, and schools…
Fig City News recently spoke with David Helfman, a Newton resident with significant experience in labor strike negotiations, advising unions on collective bargaining packages, as well as serving as a trustee on pension funds. The notes from this discussion are condensed for this article. FCN: You have a background serving on…
My partner and I are recent transplants to Auburndale. We love it here, and we’re glad her son was at Williams Elementary and is now at Brown Middle School. The teachers and support staff at both schools have been fantastic, and he’s thrived in all the ways a parent can…
I write as a decade-plus veteran of teaching both in the profession and in the city of Newton. I’ve spent my entire career at North North HS, following training through the Newton Teacher Residency and stints as a substitute at Bigelow and Newton South HS. Along with my fellow educators,…
At the end of January 29, both the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and School Committee held press conferences in which they each said some progress toward agreement had been made on some items, but gaps remain. The strike continues, and schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 30. Throughout the…
The schools in Newton have always been the shining gem of our community. Education was highly valued, and, therefore, funded. And now, they are running on fumes. School personnel are what make education in Newton phenomenal. Despite the crumbling buildings, the out of date texts, and lack of technology, our schools…