Beverly Teachers Strike: 'They Walked Away From The Kids'

BEVERLY, MA — Talks between the Beverly Teachers Association and School Committee appeared to break off completely on Monday after BTA leaders said Mayor Michael Cahill and the School Committee "walked away from the table" after the sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract following the expiration of a court-imposed deadline triggering a state "fact-finding" process on Sunday night.

School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said in a community update Sunday night that "if significant progress is not made soon, the School Committee intends to abide by the court order, end mediation and begin the state fact-finding process immediately."

"They walked away from us," BTA co-President Andrea Sherman said during a Monday afternoon news conference. "They walked away from the city. They walked away from the kids."

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Abell responded in a community update on Monday: "The Committee will resume talks with (BTA leaders) as soon as its members return to work."

An Essex County judge on Thursday suspended fines against the union for its "illegal strike" — public sector union strikes are against state law — and set the Sunday at 6 p.m. deadline for a deal or the beginning of the "fact-finding" process.

BTA co-President Julia Brotherton said the union will not participate in fact-finding because "it is rarely used" and "it's ineffective."

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She said on Monday that nothing prevents the city from continuing talks during that fact-finding process but that waiting until a verdict is rendered could keep schools closed for another two weeks.

Monday was the 11th day of canceled classes in Beverly after the BTA voted to go on strike on Nov. 8.

"Management has not given us any meaningful offers since Friday," Sherman said. "We are baffled as to why these contracts aren't settled. Our only conclusion is that it is to punish us for speaking out to demand the changes our schools desperately need."

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Brotherton contended the only remaining sticking point is paraprofessional pay, though Abell said in her last update on Sunday that the sides remain about $3.3 million apart on teacher and paraprofessional wages and benefits alone, not counting other union demands that will add to the school budget.

Abell said the School Committee also voted on Sunday night to suspend pay for striking teachers.

"Cutting off pay right before Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays is clearly a tactic designed to bully educators and force the Beverly Teachers Association back to work without a living wage for paraprofessionals," Brotherton said.

Because students are required to make up all days lost due to the strike, lost pay will presumably be restored for those who eventually work the hours missed.

City Councilors on Friday called for a discussion and resolution Monday night on the strike.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)