‘Feeling unheard’: North Shore teacher strikes continue, classes canceled again as fines mount

Teachers in Gloucester, Beverly, and Marblehead returned to the picket line Friday and classes were canceled again amid their battle for new contracts, despite mounting fines .

The Marblehead Education Association, the Gloucester Teacher Association, and the Beverly Teachers Association have all been slapped with $50,000 fines for not abandoning the strikes and returning to work.

Educators in the three North Shore communities have accused school committee leaders of delaying negotiations and allowing fines over the illegal strikes to build up.

"The fines are what they are, right? But there are certain things that are just unacceptable," Marblehead High School teacher Connor Ryan said. "Paraprofessionals making $11 and change an hour is unacceptable. Tutors making $20,000 a year in unacceptable. Ten days of paid parental leave is unacceptable. These things have to change."

The fines will increase incrementally by $10,000 each additional school day that the strike continues.

Students in the communities have been out of class all week and as of Friday morning, there was no clear path for returning to the classrooms.

But amid the negotiations, Marblehead Interim Superintendent John Robidoux on Thursday reversed his decision to pause athletics after determining that the schools can safely allow games and other events to take place this weekend.

Robidoux's announcement was welcomed by students given there's a football game on Friday night and a cross-country competition on Saturday, as well as robotics and singing competitions.

Marblehead schools will use non-teacher workers to help support this weekend's activities.

In a Facebook post, the Gloucester School Committee said they are "working tirelessly" with the state mediator to resolve contract disputes.

"Please know that our mediation efforts are ongoing and are starting early every morning and continuing late into the night," Superintendent Ben Lummis said.

The Beverly Teachers Association has now accused the school committee of attempting to revoke their right to take FMLA - paid or unpaid - in their proposal. The union said the response shows a lack of respect for the teachers and the understanding of what's happening in their schools.

"This is incredibly difficult for us. We're feeling unheard and disrespected. And we're feeling that our school committee doesn't seem to want to open schools," Andrea Sherman, co-president of the BTA said.

Beverly School Committee Chair Rachel Abell seemed to have a differing opinion on Thursday's negotiations, stating in part, "We believe progress has been made today and the School Committee continues to provide proposals and responses to all BTA questions in a thoughtful manner."

Both Gloucester and Beverly schools will still offer grab-and-go lunch boxes. Beverly will still offer public transportation to non-Beverly students.

All canceled class days will be made up at the end of the school year, similar to that of a snow day.

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