Public comment at the Select Board meeting last week was dominated by members of the Belmont Education Association [BEA], who took turns criticizing the town over the contract impasse.
“As a professional aid, I’ve seen firsthand the neglect and disregard of the Select Board and the School Committee for almost two years,” said Middle School Aid Emily Bieker. “Our demands have not been met.”
At the School Committee meeting the next night, BEA members were on hand to inform the committee about a current job action, work to rule. Several other speakers expressed support for the school committee’s position that there isn’t more money to be found.
Ann Marie Mahoney, a Town Meeting representative and former School Committee member, pointed out that 67% of the town budget is spent on schools, and tapping one-time sources of money is a bad idea.
“The most irresponsible thing this town could possibly do is hand over one-time funds for salaries,” she said.
Three collective bargaining units of the BEA have been without a contract since August. Negotiations have settled some issues between the town and key members of its school staff, but big sticking points, primarily compensation, remain.
There are three units in talks right now: Unit A, the teachers; Unit C, the administrative and clerical assistants; and Unit D, representing the professional aids and classroom assistants.
“We just don’t have living wages,” Bieker said during the Monday evening meeting.
The teachers have gone to a partial work-to-rule model, essentially cutting many non-paid activities, such as supervising non-stipended clubs and writing recommendations requested by students.
Some teachers end up writing 30 to 50 letters each year, according to Belmont High School math teacher Dan Moresco.
What’s in place is a partial work-to-rule model; there are other work-to-rule options the union can choose to implement, according to BEA President John Sullivan. Next steps will be decided by union members in March, he said.
According to School Committee Chair Meg Moriarty, help might be on the way in the form of a state-appointed mediator.
“It may seem stalled,” she said. “But having a third party will help us reach an agreement.”
According to Moriarty, the mediator has completed an investigation into the talks between the two sides. Now, both sides are trying to agree on the times they can begin meeting.
“Right now, we’re looking at the first week of March,” Moriarty said.
According to Sullivan, the mediation could be avoided if the town were to make concessions.
“They have the ability to move to our perspective with the money they have,” he said.
Once they begin meeting, the two sides will meet every other week until the issues are settled. Considering the number of bargaining units, it could be several months before an agreement is reached.
How long it will take before the impasse is closed remains unclear. Moriarty said Wrentham and its teachers’ unions ratified agreements within the past few weeks. The two sides began negotiating with the mediator in November.