Monday marks 11 days of no school for Beverly – which ties Newton as the longest teachers strike in the state since the 1990’s.
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There's no deal — and no class— once again in two North Shore school districts on Monday as an increasingly contentious round of educator strikes drag on into another week.
Students in Beverly and Marblehead will miss another day of school Monday. In Gloucester, the third community that teachers have been striking in, class will be back in session after a deal was reached on Friday.
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“Oh it’s great, my kids need school," Gloucester parent Sara Ferrara said. "They’ve been suffering, you know, getting bored. They miss all their friends, so we’re really happy that everybody’s back."
“We have a ways to go in terms of how we fund education just in general, but I think it’s a good start and I’m just glad that it’s done and we’re going back,” added Allegra Holland, a Gloucester teacher and parent.
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But teachers in Beverly and Marblehead are still walking the picket lines.
A 6 p.m. Sunday deadline to reach a deal came and went, and now the Department of Labor Relations will begin a state-imposed fact-finding process in both districts. It’s a process Beverly’s union has vowed to not participate in.
“A factfinder could come in and say, you know what, the union’s right and these things are fair and reasonable and management could still say no, so for our purposes, we’re not interested in dragging this out any longer – we’re ready to get it done,” said Lydia Ames, a Beverly 8th grade Spanish teacher.
Teachers plan to instead attend the mediator’s session set for 1 p.m. on Monday.
“Our understanding is that the mediator has set a 1 p.m. date, but the school committee will not be participating in mediation," Beverly School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said. "We will be preparing for fact-finding, which is scheduled for December 2."
Meanwhile, the school committee in Beverly voted to begin withholding pay from striking educators for the days not worked.
Marblehead is one day behind and will reach that state-imposed deadline Monday night.
