Contract negotiations between the Belmont Public Schools (BPS) and the Belmont Education Association (BEA) are set to resume March 9 under state mediation, just over a month after the BEA voted to move to a work-to-rule job action.
“I think that it’s helpful to be able to ask for help. I think as adults we try to model that for our students,” said School Committee Chair Meghan Moriarty. “When you’re stuck, sometimes you need help from a third party, so I just don’t see that as a negative whatsoever.”
While the BEA and the Belmont School Committee have reached some tentative agreements — including on the district providing 10 parental leave days — talks, particularly around compensation, stalled around December. In addition to compensation, there are nine additional outstanding proposals, according to Moriarty.
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“A lack of movement has been the issue,” said John Sullivan, president of the BEA. “We’ve been doing all the moving and counterproposing. [The School Committee] talks about the number of items they moved on, but they’re very minor items that they moved on, and now major items around compensation, collaboration and class size of caseload, they haven’t had significant movement on.”
The union claims Belmont has the financial resources through funds such as turnover savings to meet union compensation demands. However, district leaders have said settling any higher than its current offer would result in reductions in staffing or an elimination of proposed staffing additions.
“We don’t have a lot of areas to reduce that would not have a negative impact on our students as well as on the educators that would still be here,” Moriarty said. “I think the School Committee has been really listening to what the educators in the union have to say about their caseloads, their class sizes, and the high school principal has been a tremendous advocate for them.”
The School Committee initially filed for mediation with the state in October. In January, the BEA voted “overwhelmingly” to move to work-to-rule. Under this action, teachers will continue to meet their contractual obligations but will not serve on unpaid groups or committees or run unpaid clubs or student groups at the middle or high school level, among other actions.
“The School Committee’s responsibility is to advocate for the schools our kids deserve. They’re not doing that advocacy,” Sullivan said.
Moriarty has previously said the committee doesn’t see work-to-rule as helpful to resolving the remaining issues at the bargaining table.
As compensation continues to be a sticking point, Moriarty said Belmont isn’t alone in its struggle to balance union demands, student needs, and financial constraints. “We’re also not the only school district in Massachusetts going through this. This is, unfortunately, something that a lot of public school districts are wrestling right now,” she said.
Starting March 9, the BEA and school committee will meet every two weeks for negotiations until an agreement is reached.
The current contracts expired in August 2025; three of the collective bargaining groups are currently in negotiations. Sullivan said morale among BPS educators and staff is “already low,” adding that the BEA wants to reach an agreement as swiftly as possible.
According to the union, its goals are to secure compensation promising a competitive wage, caseloads and class sizes that allow educators to provide individualized support to students, and more collaboration and preparation time. In particular, Sullivan said Unit D, composed of professional aids and classroom assistants, is seeking an increased wage in the next contract.
“They deserve a wage that reflects their professionalism and preparation time during the work day, that allows them to provide the services our students need,” he said.