Teachers in Andover, Massachusetts, returned to the classroom Wednesday after their union and the Andover School Committee agreed on a new contract.The Andover Education Association announced shortly before 5:10 p.m. Tuesday that a deal had been reached to end its strike, which lasted five days and led to three days of canceled classes.The contract was ratified by the union later Tuesday night.”We cannot begin to thank the Andover community enough for their support,” the union shared on social media. “We cannot wait to see our students in school tomorrow!”The Andover School Committee said it reached a tentative agreement with the AEA that boosts contractual increases for teachers by 15.5% and for instructional assistants by 34%, each over four years.”We are pleased that students can get back into the classroom tomorrow morning to continue learning,” Andover School Committee Chair Tracey Spruce said in a statement. “With this deal, the administration gained important tools to continue strengthening the instructional practices that we know students need to belong, strive, and thrive.”According to the School Committee, members of the Andover Education Association will receive the following benefits in addition to the salary increases:Eight weeks of fully paid parental leave and the option to use an additional four weeks of accrued sick time, bringing the total amount of fully paid parental leave to 12 weeks.The ability to use up to 60 days of accrued, paid sick leave when taking leave to care for a seriously ill family member.Increases to elementary teacher planning time, which brings the added benefit of extended recess time for students, according to school officials.The School Committee stated that the agreement came after more than 60 hours of negotiations since the strike began Friday.While the School Committee expressed its excitement about the end of the strike, it also noted that with the increased teacher salaries provided under the new contract terms that were agreed upon, it must consider cuts to programs, services and school department staff beginning with the next academic year.”We heard clearly from the teachers and many in the community that teacher and instructional assistant pay was the priority in this agreement and we responded accordingly,” Spruce said in her statement. “At the same time, the final agreement is inconsistent with the principles of the town’s long-range financial plan so, to live within our means, we will need to make meaningful program, service, and staff reductions.”The School Committee stated that Andover’s long-range financial plan includes 3.75% annual increases to the school department’s budget allocation and that without budget reductions, the tentative agreement with the Andover Education Association will push the town past that figure.Andover Education Association President Matt Bach said that the union does not fear any budget cuts or staffing reductions that were forewarned by the School Committee.”What we have seen in the last week is this is a community that cares about education. They prioritize education. They showed that by standing shoulder to shoulder with us at our rallies, on the picket line (and) through social media, so they’re not going to allow that to happen,” Bach said.On Monday, an Essex Superior Court judge ruled that the AEA would face incremental fines if the teachers strike continued. According to a court order, the teachers union was fined $50,000 on Monday, faced a $60,000 fine on Tuesday and fines that would have increased by an additional $10,000 for every day the strike continued.The Andover Education Association was supposed to be fined $60,000 at 3 p.m. Tuesday, but union officials had informed NewsCenter 5 reporter Sera Congi that it received an extension on those fees before the agreement to end the strike was announced.Previous coverage:
Teachers in Andover, Massachusetts, returned to the classroom Wednesday after their union and the Andover School Committee agreed on a new contract.
The Andover Education Association announced shortly before 5:10 p.m. Tuesday that a deal had been reached to end its strike, which lasted five days and led to three days of canceled classes.
The contract was ratified by the union later Tuesday night.
“We cannot begin to thank the Andover community enough for their support,” the union shared on social media. “We cannot wait to see our students in school tomorrow!”
The Andover School Committee said it reached a tentative agreement with the AEA that boosts contractual increases for teachers by 15.5% and for instructional assistants by 34%, each over four years.
“We are pleased that students can get back into the classroom tomorrow morning to continue learning,” Andover School Committee Chair Tracey Spruce said in a statement. “With this deal, the administration gained important tools to continue strengthening the instructional practices that we know students need to belong, strive, and thrive.”
According to the School Committee, members of the Andover Education Association will receive the following benefits in addition to the salary increases:
- Eight weeks of fully paid parental leave and the option to use an additional four weeks of accrued sick time, bringing the total amount of fully paid parental leave to 12 weeks.
- The ability to use up to 60 days of accrued, paid sick leave when taking leave to care for a seriously ill family member.
- Increases to elementary teacher planning time, which brings the added benefit of extended recess time for students, according to school officials.
The School Committee stated that the agreement came after more than 60 hours of negotiations since the strike began Friday.
While the School Committee expressed its excitement about the end of the strike, it also noted that with the increased teacher salaries provided under the new contract terms that were agreed upon, it must consider cuts to programs, services and school department staff beginning with the next academic year.
“We heard clearly from the teachers and many in the community that teacher and instructional assistant pay was the priority in this agreement and we responded accordingly,” Spruce said in her statement. “At the same time, the final agreement is inconsistent with the principles of the town’s long-range financial plan so, to live within our means, we will need to make meaningful program, service, and staff reductions.”
The School Committee stated that Andover’s long-range financial plan includes 3.75% annual increases to the school department’s budget allocation and that without budget reductions, the tentative agreement with the Andover Education Association will push the town past that figure.
Andover Education Association President Matt Bach said that the union does not fear any budget cuts or staffing reductions that were forewarned by the School Committee.
“What we have seen in the last week is this is a community that cares about education. They prioritize education. They showed that by standing shoulder to shoulder with us at our rallies, on the picket line (and) through social media, so they’re not going to allow that to happen,” Bach said.
On Monday, an Essex Superior Court judge ruled that the AEA would face incremental fines if the teachers strike continued. According to a court order, the teachers union was fined $50,000 on Monday, faced a $60,000 fine on Tuesday and fines that would have increased by an additional $10,000 for every day the strike continued.
The Andover Education Association was supposed to be fined $60,000 at 3 p.m. Tuesday, but union officials had informed NewsCenter 5 reporter Sera Congi that it received an extension on those fees before the agreement to end the strike was announced.