Quincy, teachers' union seek state mediator for negotiations; here's the offer on the table
QUINCY − The city is asking the state to step in to help broker a deal with the city's teachers' union after a 16th bargaining session Friday afternoon failed to produce an agreement.
The union, the Quincy Education Association, has been negotiating with city representatives since last June. The teachers' contract expired Aug. 31.
The two sides have not been able to reach a compromise as educators demand more longevity pay and better parental leave. Mayor Thomas Koch last week said Quincy teachers may be headed for a strike and, on Friday, he and school committee Vice Chairman Frank Santoro sent a letter to parents and staff detailing where negotiations stand.
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Koch, who is chairman of the school committee, said in the letter than the city has asked the state to assign a third-party mediator to assist the school committee and the union in future bargaining sessions. After 16 sessions, he said the mediator will "prove valuable to the process."
"We believe that a fresh set of eyes will help both parties find that path to an agreement, and we aregrateful that the (Quincy Education Association) has agreed with our request to invite an independent mediator to the negotiating table," the letter reads. "The school committee believes that we have provided a proposal that is fair and deeply respects the role our educators play in this community. That the QEA does not agree with that assertion is well within their rights, and that’s why we’re asking for independent assistance."
Gayle Carvalho, president of the union, confirmed Monday that a mediator has been assigned, though a schedule has not been set.
“We want to settle a contract, and I want to be clear that I don’t agree we’re at an impasse,” she said. “We welcome getting this done. ... The city can afford what we’re asking for. It’s well within their means and we're looking for them to bargain in good faith."
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In the letter, Koch said the union and the school committee "agreed to relax rules on confidential bargaining." He outlined the offer presented to the union by the city Friday.
The proposal included a 9% raise on base pay over three years, an increased educational incentive of $500 for educators with a master's degree plus 45 additional credits, and a top-scale educator salary of $108,000 in the third year of the contract.
The offer also touched on longevity pay and paternal leave, both major issues raised by the union. Current longevity pay incentives would increase by $300 in most instances, except for 30-year teachers, who would see their salaries increase by $1,300 a year instead of the $750 offered now. The offer also included an unspecified "increase in allowed sick time accruals for parental leave" and "a new allowance for sick time accruals to be used for parental leave for non-birthing and adoptive parents."
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Other details, as stated in the letter, included:
An increased reimbursement for nurses’ uniforms up to $250.
An increased professional discretionary reimbursement of $450 per educator.
Increased communication with parents/guardians and students through regular updates of the ASPEN gradebook for grades 6-12.
An expansion of eligibility for extended sick leave benefits, limited to a one-time use.
A new provision allowing medical documentation to be provided by nurse practitioners and physician assistants, required on fifth consecutive day of absence.
The use of Election Day as a full day of professional development.
"Disagreements are fine and we can work through them, but the harsh rhetoric and tactics being used by the Massachusetts Teachers Association in communities across Greater Boston in recent months and now here in Quincy are ultimately a disservice to our classroom educators who work so hard every day on behalf of our young people," Koch and Santoro's letter said.
In response, Quincy Education Association released its own letter to families, calling Koch's letter "cowardly, intrusive and often misleading." The union will hold a community update via Zoom on 7 p.m. on Thursday to offer an update.
"We will share with you the actual packages both sides have put on the table, as opposed to the very artfully worded summaries crafted by a lawyer and a politician that were distributed to you Friday night," the union's letter reads.
See our earlier coverage of the Quincy teachers' union negotiations
March 2, 2023: Will Quincy teachers strike? Mayor says maybe as negotiations continue
Dec. 19, 2022: Quincy officials, teachers' union clash amid stalled contract talks
Nov. 16, 2022: 'Fair contract now': Quincy teachers stand out, demand raises amid negotiations
July 2021: Quincy teachers' union, new president slam city in contentious contract negotiations
Reach Mary Whitfill at mwhitfill@patriotledger.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy, union seek state mediator in teacher negotiations
