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Newton teacher strike hits one-week mark; schools still closed as union faces court hearing
Some progress was made in talks on Wednesday, but that momentum could not be sustained Thursday.
The Newton teachers strike reached the one-week mark Friday. Classes were canceled for the sixth time as tensions remain high between educators and district officials.
The Newton Teachers Association was subjected to $375,000 in fines this week after failing to comply with an order from the Massachusetts Superior Court to stop the strike. The fines increased each evening after 8 p.m. deadlines came and went.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday where the court will assess “a more meaningful approach to ensuring compliance with the law.” Public employees, including teachers, are prohibited from striking under state law.
Negotiations have been ongoing this week, and both sides expressed optimism about possibly coming to an agreement after talks on Wednesday. But that momentum “faltered” mid-day Thursday, according to a message from the Newton School Committee. No agreements were reached.
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NTA members took to Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s office Thursday. They were ordered to disperse by Newton Police, and were not able to speak with Fuller, according to video posted by the union on social media.
“Enough. This strike is causing such harm,” Fuller wrote in a message to the community Thursday night.
The NTA and its allies are set to continue demonstrating Friday at Newton City Hall before marching to the Newton Education Center, where negotiations are taking place. Another rally is being planned for Saturday afternoon.
Information on the specifics of the negotiations from both the district and the NTA can be found online.
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“On Thursday, educators experienced a major step back backward in bargaining. The School Committee and Mayor Fuller showed that they have no interest in genuine negotiation,” the NTA said in a statement. “With continued rejections of every meaningful proposal, there is no credible evidence that the School Committee and Mayor Fuller actually want to settle this contract. Instead, they seem to be more interested in power and control than getting children back in school.”
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