Teachers in Marblehead vote to go on strike, union says "schools are in crisis"
MARBLEHEAD - Teachers in Marblehead voted overwhelmingly to go on strike Friday afternoon, following "months of unproductive negotiations," according to the union. Marblehead now joins Beverly and Gloucester teachers who are on strike, forcing schools to close.
The Marblehead Education Association said 99% of members voted in favor of going on strike, beginning on Tuesday.
Teachers seek better wages, staffing
"Marblehead Public Schools are in crisis, and the educators have collectively said, 'enough is enough,'" MEA President Jonathan Heller said.
The union said it is seeking fair and competitive wages, "modern, humane" paid family leave and better staffing.
"We have reached this point because we are committed to fighting for the future of our schools and our community," Heller said. "Educator salaries and benefits in Marblehead are some of the lowest in the region and they have not kept pace with settlements in our neighboring districts."
Schools closed on Tuesday
Schools are closed on Monday due to the Veterans Day holiday. The union said the strike would begin on Tuesday if a contract wasn't reached with the school committee by Monday night. Shortly after the vote Friday, interim Superintendent John Robidoux announced school would be canceled on Tuesday.
"Our superintendent sends out a message canceling school already, that is unconscionable," Heller said. "I am shocked."
All extracurricular activities, including athletics, are also canceled starting on Tuesday, Robidoux said.
"Our goal is that we need to focus solely on getting our teachers back in the classroom as quickly as possible," Robidoux said during a school committee meeting Friday. "That's really our focus right now as the school committee and me as a superintendent our admin team, is to really work hard trying to get the teachers back in the classroom."
On Friday night, the high school football game went on as planned.
"Take it day by day and we'll make it work," said Marblehead mother Ali Church. "We lived through COVID so can't be any worse than that."
Church said she is worried about losing more amazing teachers. "We need to keep them here. We're losing so many teachers and it's really scary to think that more are going to keep leaving and we want them to know that we're here for them," Church said.
Students who are caught in the middle want to see a resolution as soon as possible.
"Let's come together as a community and figure out a way to get us back in schools, sooner than later," said student Jared Kaplowitch.
Strikes in Beverly, Gloucester
On Thursday, teachers in two other North Shore communities voted to go on strike. Schools were closed in Gloucester and Beverly on Friday as teachers seek new contracts.
In Beverly, the union is fighting for better teacher and paraprofessional pay, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and smaller class sizes.
Gloucester teachers are also pushing for better pay for teachers and paraprofessionals, 10 weeks of paid parental leave and more prep time.
Teacher strikes illegal in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, teacher strikes are illegal and unions could face fines.
The money would go to the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations. A city or town can also charge the union for what it spends on things like police details and overtime.