One of three Massachusetts communities reached a deal with their striking teachers union on Friday, leaving two left to hammer out a final agreement as Gov. Maura Healey says all students need to be back in school Monday.
The Union of Gloucester Educators said in a Facebook post that the union and the Gloucester School Committee “came to a tentative agreement for successor collective bargaining agreements for both the teachers and paraprofessional units, as well as a satisfactory Return to Work Agreement.”
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The agreement came as a judge pledged to waive mounting fines against striking teachers the three Massachusetts communities for Friday if they agree to return to the classroom by Monday.
Classrooms remained shuttered Friday in Beverly, Gloucester and Marblehead — three communities north of Boston — marking the end of the second full week that teachers have taken to the picket lines.
The strikes have kept thousands of students across the three communities at home and will force schools to hold classes during vacations and weekends to meet the required 180 days of classroom learning required by state law — a situation that any snow days could make worse.
Gov. Maura Healey said earlier this week that her focus is getting students back into the classroom, urging both parties to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
In a new statement released Saturday, Healey said it's "unacceptable" that students have been out of school for over two weeks in Beverly and Marblehead.
"It's hurting our young people, parents and families above all else. Students need to be back in school on Monday," the governor said. "I have spoken to all parties, and I believe they are at a place where they should be able to reach an agreement this weekend, and they should do so. If they don’t reach that agreement, they should ensure that students can return to the classroom on Monday while these negotiations continue."
Healey reiterated that the parties must continue to negotiate throughout the weekend, saying that she and the lieutenant governor have been and will continue to request updates.
"Our young people need to be back in school," she said.
An Essex County Superior Court judge had said that if there is no deal by 6 p.m. Sunday a third party will take over the talks between striking teachers and local officials.
Teacher strikes are illegal in Massachusetts.
Teachers in Beverly said Thursday that they have reduced their wage proposals, but accused town officials of dragging out the negotiations. Union representatives said they were willing to keep talks going around the clock if necessary.
“The inaction of the school committee is why schools are closed. We are really trying to bargain here. We all want to go back to school," Andrea Sherman. co-president Beverly Teachers Association said Thursday evening.
Rachael Abell, president of the Beverly School Committee, pointed to the unions for the extended negotiations, saying they rejected an offer to add nearly $2 million for teacher and paraprofessional salaries.
“The union spent very little time reviewing and then essentially insisted on their initial demands, which are way beyond what is affordable to the city,” she said after Thursday's negotiations.
The Beverly Teachers Association has said it is pushing for smaller class sizes in the 4,500-student district, 12 weeks of paid parental leave and a “living wage” for paraprofessionals or teachers assistants whose starting salary is $20,000.
In Gloucester, the union in the 2,800-student district had asked for at least eight weeks of fully paid parental leave. It also wanted significant pay increases for paraprofessionals, safer conditions for students and more prep time for elementary school teachers.
On Nov. 12, judges imposed a fine of $50,000 on the unions in Beverly and Gloucester that they said would increase by $10,000 for every day the teachers remained on strike. The unions voted Nov. 7 to authorize a strike and schools have remained closed.
On Tuesday, teachers took their protests to the steps of the Massachusetts Statehouse.
