North Shore teachers strikes continue Thursday, two unions facing $50K fines

Beverly and Gloucester teachers’ unions were ordered to pay $50,000 fine Wednesday as contentious negotiations continue and their strike heads into its fourth school day Thursday.

An Essex Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday that the union must pay $50,000 if the strike continued past 6 p.m. and the fines will increase by $10,000 each day the strike continues.

Teachers strikes, along with other public employees, are illegal under Massachusetts state law.

Marblehead educators also voted to strike one day after the two other North Shore unions. Among their demands, all three unions have cited raising wages — particularly for paraprofessionals whose starting salary ranges between about $20,000 and $24,000 in the districts — and paid family leave. Public school staff and other municipal employees were excluded from the state’s Paid Family Leave Law.

No fines have yet been imposed on the Marblehead educators.

“The judge’s ruling confirms what we have maintained since the strike was called six days ago;  the BTA is fully capable of returning to school to educate the students of Beverly while they continue to negotiate with the School Committee,” the Beverly School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said Wednesday night. “Now, BTA members face the costly burden of higher union dues each day they remain out on strike.”

The BTA pushed back against the court order Wednesday, filing a lawsuit with the Department of Labor Relations claiming the School Committee has been “bargaining in bad faith.”

“We are disappointed that the School Committee and mayor feel no urgency around paying our paraprofessionals a living wage,” said Steph Andrews, high school World Language teacher. “There’s no urgency to ensure new parents have fair parental leave. No urgency to reopen schools. It’s embarrassing for our city.”

The union claimed the mayor has remained absent from negotiations and the School Committee has stalled “for the Judge to order fines against the union to break the strike and circumvent their bargaining obligations.”

The Beverly educators said they also filed an additional prohibited practice charge with the department after camera were found in the bargaining room. The bargaining sessions were moved from McKeown School to Hannah Elementary School after the incident.

The Beverly School Committee said the camera “does not record audio and has not been monitored since negotiations began.”

In Gloucester, the educators accused school committee members of trying to “scare underpaid paraprofessionals by withholding our pay” Tuesday night.

“No striking paraprofessional in the last two decades has been robbed by their employer this way,” said Janelle Jackson, a paraprofessional at East Veterans Elementary School. “The School Committee decided to withhold $132.74 from me in an effort to break my spirit, and break my union.”

The Marblehead superintendent canceled Thursday classes around 6 p.m., but the School Committee said both sides continued to meet into Wednesday night. The Marblehead Education Association stated Wednesday they felt “disrespected” by the School Committee and town administrator and their refusal to up the budget was “not a gift to taxpayers.”

“We know Marblehead needs an override to bring revenues up to where they need to be to properly operate the town,” the MEA said. “Educators and other municipal employees show their dedication to this community every day. We are confident the residents will likewise show their commitment to the quality of life in Marblehead by passing an override we can all support.”

Beverly and Gloucester schools have continued to offer student meals for windows throughout the day during the strike.

The strikes follow a wave of Massachusetts teachers strikes in recent years, including in Andover, Haverhill, Malden, Newton, Brookline, and Woburn.