Emergency Negotiations To Take Place As Malden Educators Strike Looms

MALDEN, MA —Malden Education Association and Malden Public Schools negotiators will be back at the bargaining table on Sunday morning, for an emergency negotiations meeting on the eve of a looming possible strike by Malden Educators, according to a recent city meeting agenda.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. at Malden City Hall. The meeting is open to the public.

Educators previously met on Friday, at which point the Malden Education Association said union members “overwhelmingly approved” a strike to begin on Monday if their contract is not settled over the weekend.

The Malden Education Association announced this move alongside the Haverhill Education Association, which has also authorized a possible strike to begin next week.

“We are saying enough is enough,” the two unions said in a joint statement. “Our students deserve better, our communities deserve better, and we deserve better.”

Malden Schools Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy said in a statement that the district will stay in touch with families over the weekend with updates on possible impacts on school schedules next week.

“This maneuver by leaders of the Malden Education Association may be intended to send a message to school district leaders, but ultimately, it is our students and families who suffer the consequences of these tactics," she said.

"At this point, schools are scheduled to open as usual on Monday, but in the event of a last-minute strike, we would be left with no choice but to cancel school for students and ask parents to make other arrangements for their children,” she later continued.

Malden and Haverhill unions said their representatives have been meeting regularly to discuss working conditions and student learning conditions.

Educators in both districts have been working on expired contracts since the beginning of the school year.

Negotiation teams for the unions have met with respective district negotiators, though they’ve been unable to finalize new contract agreements to date.

Unions on Friday said they’ve been seeking to address “staffing shortages, racial and social justice, safety in schools, adequate time for educators to prepare and collaborate, and wages that have been chronically suppressed” in contract proposals.

“The school committees in both communities are showing no interest in addressing needs we see as critical to our students’ success,” Malden and Haverhill unions said.

“We acknowledge the disruption our strikes can cause,” the unions continued. “But we can no longer in good conscience see our students receive less than they deserve and for educators to be continually disrespected as professionals.”

“We are ready to bargain any time to settle these contracts,” the unions said. “Our respective school committees have the power and authority to avert these actions.”

Malden Mayor and School Committee Chair Gary Christenson responded to the strike authorization on Friday.

“We are deeply surprised and disheartened that the leadership of the Malden Education Association is willing to inconvenience families and disrupt the education of more than 6,000 students in order to advance its collective bargaining positions, especially as we are not currently at an impasse," he said.

"Contrary to reports that the School Committee has not responded to proposals, the Negotiations Subcommittee has been and will continue to negotiate in good faith until we reach agreement on a contract that is fair to our employees, is in line with the economic realities facing the City, and meets the needs of our students and families,” he continued.

State law prohibits strikes among public employees. Teachers strikes have moved forward in the past, though, including one in Brookline in May.

Beyond strikes, Malden, Brookline and Haverhill are three of several communities where educators have recently protested the state of contract negotiations.

In Medford, union and school district negotiators have engaged in months of talks without a new contract. The School Committee said negotiations had reached an impasse in September, seeking an outside mediator to help settle lingering disagreements. The Department of Labor Relations then sent the matter back to the Medford Public Schools and the Medford Teachers Association earlier this month, though, asking parties to continue negotiations.

In Melrose, teachers are similarly without a contract. Union members and their supporters have taken to the streets in recent weeks with multiple gatherings outside school buildings and at least one march/rally at City Hall last month.

Update: This article has been updated to include comments from Malden Schools Superintendent Ligia Noriega-Murphy and Malden Mayor Gary Christenson.