Beverly Teachers Stand Out In 'Work To Rule' Solidarity Amid Impasse
BEVERLY, MA — Members of the Beverly Teachers Association were out holding signs in solidarity demanding a new contract Friday morning instead of putting in their own extra time getting classrooms ready for the day on the first day of “work to rule” conditions commenced amid the ongoing negotiating standoff with the School Committee.
Beverly teachers on Thursday joined three districts on the North Shore — Gloucester, Marblehead and Revere — in implementing the “work to rule” status, during which they commit to only performing contractually obligated duties during the structured school day.
The teachers are refusing to provide after-school assistance, participate on committees, chaperone field trips and do other “voluntary” work on a rotating basis as they close in on four works since the last collective-bargaining agreement expired.
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“Trust us, we don’t want to do this,” the BTA said in a statement on Thursday night. “We want to have a fair contract and fully funded schools. We must use this opportunity to fix the real
problems and injustices in our school buildings.”
BTA members said: “We know exactly what our students and teachers need to be successful in their schools” — smaller class sizes, paid parental leave, longer elementary lunch and recess, solutions to support dysregulated and special education students, and fair wages for all of our staff.
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The BTA said membership voted 99 percent in favor of “work to rule” with the 12th bargaining session held this week apparently bringing the union and School Committee no closer to finalizing a deal.
“We must continue to raise awareness of the crisis in our schools as the School Committee has yet to meet its educators’ and students’ needs,” the BTA said.
School Committee President Rachael Abell posted a message to the school community on Thursday night, saying the School Committee had been made aware of the “work to rule” beginning on Friday.
“This will not impact your child’s regular school day,” she said. “We understand the members who reached this decision believe this action will help raise awareness to their campaign.
“However, we also know that our educators remain committed to our students and school community.”
She said the School Committee “strongly believes there is a mutual desire for a new contract as soon as possible” and that the bargaining team is negotiating “in good faith to reach a contract that is fair to all educators and staff, while working within the city’s budget parameters.”
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)
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