Marblehead Teachers Strike: MEA Details 'Major Concession' Offer

MARBLEHEAD, MA — The Marblehead Education Association released details on Wednesday of what it said is a contract counterproposal that includes $3 million in concessions over four years in hopes of settling the two-week-old strike that cost students a seventh straight day of school on Wednesday.

The MEA said the deal, which was offered to the School Committee shortly before negotiations adjourned for the night on Tuesday, puts the sides about $2.3 million apart on offers over four years. The School Committee had previously said the sides were about $5 million apart and that the MEA's deal would require a property tax override that, if it failed to pass, would require the elimination of 15 percent of staff equating to 75 positions.

• Marblehead Teachers Strike: MEA Makes Counteroffer As School Close For 7th Day

The MEA said the counterproposal includes a 16 percent cost-of-living increase over four years, with an additional 4 percent if an override passes.

"What the proposal does achieve is moving teacher compensation in Marblehead closer to the middle of the pack for the North Shore by the end of four years, and moving compensation for paraprofessionals/tutors closer to livable wages," the MEA said.

• Marblehead Teachers Strike: 'We Are Optimistic' Despite Schools Remaining Closed

MEA co-President Jonathan Heller said in a Tuesday night news conference that the School Committee proposal would also put teachers further behind the cost-of-living and inflation increases by the end of the contract.

The union said paid parental leave increases in the new offer would be gradual with 20 days in the first year of the new deal, 30 days in the second year and 40 days in the third year with a goal of reaching 12 weeks by the end of the deal.

The union also said it withdrew a request for smaller class sizes.

"We accepted many of the Committee's counterproposals and withdrew several proposals to focus on the most important issues to educators," the MEA said.

• Marblehead Teachers Strike: $926 Average Tax Override Will Settle Deal

The union said in a statement on Wednesday morning that the School Committee had yet to respond to the counterproposals and again accused the School Committee and Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer of relying on court-ordered fines for being in contempt of a state law making public sector strikes illegal to "break the union."

"The School Committee bargaining team's vindictiveness will not stop the MEA from pursuing a just contract that puts our district on a path to end the crisis of unhealthy staff turnover and high numbers of vacancies, both of which undermine the quality of education and services we provide our students," the MEA said on Wednesday. "Marblehead educators are among the lowest paid in the region and many are leaving to take better-paying jobs in other districts."

(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.)