Haverhill students return to classrooms after agreement ends teacher strike
HAVERHILL -- Students in Haverhill are back in their classrooms Friday after a teacher strike closed schools for four days this week. A deal between the Haverhill School Committee and the Haverhill Education Association was reached around 11 p.m. on Thursday.
Since the deal was made so late into the night, there were no buses Friday morning for students. Instead, the bus lane was turned into the parent drop-off lane.
"Happy. Because four days and today was supposed to be the fifth but no, no fifth," said parent Daisy Estrella.
On Friday morning, the school committee released a statement saying:
"The Haverhill School Committee is pleased that a deal has been reached to bring striking teachers back to the classroom. The agreement includes increased pay for teachers, without placing an undue burden on taxpayers. It also addresses union concerns about classroom safety, while maintaining management rights and protecting student rights to privacy. Importantly, the union has agreed to reimburse the School Department for costs incurred during this strike. In addition, the union has agreed to fund a scholarship program for underprivileged students. Now, we look forward to putting this strike behind us and returning to the work of serving the children of our city."
Pressured mounted Thursday night as hundreds of teachers, students, and parents chanted outside City Hall for hours while negotiations went on inside. A deal was finally reached when State Senator Andy Vargas and Labor Secretary and former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh stepped in.
"We are extremely excited to get the teachers back in the classroom get our students back where they belong in the classroom and do what they do best," said Scott Wood of the Haverhill School Committee.
"We won a financial package that represents a substantial investment in our public schools, closing the damaging wage gap between Haverhill educators and other districts," said Haverhill Education Association President Tim Briggs.
For the last four days, parents and guardians had to find alternative care for their children.
Estrella told WBZ-TV while her son went to a Boys and Girls Club during the day, she was at City Hall supporting the teachers. "I was praying, something nice gotta happen for the teachers because they need it," she said.
The union has agreed to reimburse the School Department for costs incurred during this strike.
They will have to make up the missed school days at the end of the year.
It was unclear whether buses will provide rides home for the students on Friday.