Andover Teachers Union Votes To Go On Strike

ANDOVER, MA — Following more than nine months of bargaining, the Andover Education Association (AEA) voted overwhelmingly Thursday afternoon to go on strike effective immediately.

The AEA has bargained with the Andover School Committee 28 times.

The union is seeking to raise the pay of instructional aides "who are currently earning far below what is considered a living wage for the region," according to a union statement. The AEA is also seeking raises for teachers, protections for educator prep time, longer lunch and recess periods for the youngest learners, access to paid family and medical leave, and greater educator voice in curriculum decisions, according to a union statement.

The School Committee responded that it has "filed a petition with the Department of Labor Relations seeking to prevent the Andover Education Association (AEA) from engaging in an illegal strike."

The School Committee wrote that it is "vitally important...to avoid any disruption that negatively impacts our students."

However, the union said that it has reached a "breaking point where we will no longer tolerate the School Committee’s disrespect for us and disregard for our proposals."

“The School Committee can keep Andover Public Schools open by taking bargaining seriously," the union said in a statement. "The town can easily afford the financial proposals we have put on the table."

The School Committee said that the union walked out of negotiations Wednesday night without responding to the committee's offer. The offer included an increased cost of living adjustment for instructional assistants of 13.75% over three years, according to the School Committee.

The School Committee said that instead of going on "an illegal strike," the AEA should "end the theatrics and come back to the table and negotiate in good faith."

The union noted that “Andover can easily afford our salary proposals. The town is receiving more than $1 million in additional state aid and has ample cash reserves. The School Committee’s willingness to spend millions of dollars on plans for a new high school is indicative of misplaced priorities; we urge the committee to invest in the people responsible for the quality of education provided in Andover Public Schools."

The AEA claims that the district is losing educators and failing to attract and retain the best possible educators. Instructional aides currently make well below what is considered a livable wage in the region, the union said.

“Instructional aides can make better wages in just about any other job outside of education," the union said.

Andover educators and their supporters will be rallying at noon Friday on the Town Common at Chestnut Street.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for Nov. 14.