Woburn teachers rally for new contract

Natalie Khait
·2 min read
1

Teachers in Woburn, Mass are rallying for a fair contract.

The members of the Woburn Teachers Association approved a labor strike beginning on Monday, January 30th, if an acceptable contract agreement with the School Committee and Mayor is not reached.

“We do not take our decision to strike lightly and believe that we have exhausted all other options. In fact, there is no other path forward. We implore Mayor Scott Galvin and the School Committee to help us complete the construction of a contract reflecting the quality of Woburn Public Schools and its educators,” said WTA President, Barbara Locke.

Some students joined their students in the demonstrations, holding up signs sporting such phrases as “We love and support our teachers” and “thank you for making a difference every day.”

“I love teaching, I love coming into work, I love my colleagues, I love my students. I wouldn’t be here rallying on a Saturday, I wouldn’t have voted for a strike yesterday if I didn’t love what I do,” said one impassioned teacher.

The Mayor and School committee have rejected some of the following:

  • A living wage for paraprofessionals to help fill vacant positions with high-quality candidates, allowing our students to get the services they need

  • Physical education class twice a week for elementary students, which is comparable to surrounding districts.

  • Smaller class sizes to allow for more individualized instruction and classroom engagement.

  • Compensation for our educators - ensuring our ability to attract and retain in an increasingly competitive market

  • Compensation for all workdays

Woburn School Committee released a statement decrying the strike and declaring it a violation of state law:

“A ruling was issued by the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) on the evening of Friday, Jan. 27 following a hearing, which concluded that the WTA, President Barbara Locke, its officers and the employees it represents are about to engage in a strike in violation of state law, and that the aforementioned parties are inducing, encouraging and condoning such action in violation of state law.”

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