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Dropkick Murphys support striking Newton teachers with special performance

The Boston band shared a rendition of "Worker's Song" while showing solidarity with the Newton Teachers Association.

Ken Casey performs with Dropkick Murphys at MGM Music Hall in March 2023. Ben Stas/Boston Globe

January 31, 2024

1 minute to read

The teachers strike in Newton reached its ninth day Wednesday, with classes still canceled as negotiators for the city and the Newton Teachers Association got “closer” to an agreement.

Pressure is ramping up on the NTA, which is already facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. Public employees, including teachers, are prohibited from striking under Massachusetts state law. Newton City Council President Marc Laredo called for the strike to end Tuesday, and parents are now asking a judge to increase the fines and to consider ordering the arrest of NTA President Michael Zilles.

But the union did secure an endorsement Wednesday from Boston legends Dropkick Murphys.

“[We’re] sending our love, solidarity, and support out to all you teachers on the picket line, thank you for all you do,” Ken Casey, lead singer of the Celtic punk band, said in a video posted to the NTA Facebook page.

The band then launched into an acoustic version of “Worker’s Song,” a pro-union song initially written by English musician Ed Pickford and performed by the Scottish singer Dick Gaughan.

Dropkick Murphys covered the song on their 2003 album “Blackout.” Watch their recent performance below: