Beverly Teachers Vote To Authorize Strike Over School 'Crisis'
BEVERLY, MA — Beverly teachers voted to strike on Thursday more than two months after the staff collective-bargaining agreement expired.
The BTA said it had negotiated in good faith for more than a year and that "now it is has become crystal clear that the city is not willing to move on these issues" that the union said include wages for paraprofessionals and to prevent staff turnover, paid family leave, longer lunch and recess for elementary students and more staff support for dysregulated students.
"We are willing to do whatever it takes to fix the crisis in our schools," BTA co-President Andrea Sherman said. "When I say 'we' I mean paraprofessionals, therapists, (speech-language pathologists), teachers, nurses — all of the adults in our school who work with students. We went into our jobs because we wanted to make a difference in the lives of children.
"We are fueled when we think of the possibilities ahead for them and we yearn for the beautiful moments that we see every day. Those 'ah-ha' moments when we know that we have gotten through and a child is learning. These possibilities are at stake. Without fundamental changes in our district, we will continue to be tasked with defensively managing dysregulation, overflowing classes, constantly training new staff to fill the holes of educators who leave the district, and regularly feel like we are robbing Peter to pay Paul when it comes to meeting students' needs."
She called the BTA asks "commonsense" but are being stymied by "drawn-out negotiations and political tactics."
"Management is not listening," she said. "If they were, they would be agreeing with us and this contract would be settled before school started."
Mayor Michael Cahill in a letter to Patch this week urged against a proposed strike vote on an "illegal strike" that he blamed on pressure from the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
"Please do not do this," Cahill said. "Do not join with the (Massachusetts Teachers Association) in this illegal strike; it would be a big mistake, causing our children and community immeasurable damage."
Cahill insisted the city has bargained in good faith with the teachers with its current offer including $24.45 million in new spending over the three years of the proposed deal — a 25 percent increase in spending. He said the offer amounts to a 27.2 percent increase in wages for teachers (inclusive of steps) and a 42.8 percent increase for paraprofessionals.
Sherman said the BTA is ready to bargain "around the clock" through the weekend in hopes of reaching a deal "to fix the problems we all know are there."
"We are imploring the School Committee and the mayor to do what's right," she said. "Trust our asks and end this crisis in our schools. The time is now."
(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at X/Twitter:
