Newton Teachers Strike Update: 'On Picket Lines Monday' As Talks Stall

NEWTON, MA — Hope of returning to the classroom on Monday faded in Newton Sunday afternoon with both the Newton Teachers Association and School Committee expressing pessimism about the chances of an agreement before the strike claims a seventh straight school day.

While the NTA said its latest proposal included "reasonable, affordable and necessary proposals rooted in honest and fair compromise," the School Committee countered in a statement that while the proposal "showed progress" it was "neither affordable nor sustainable."

"Accepting it wholesale would have required a reduction in force of more than 70 valued educators and support staff throughout the life of the contract," the School Committee said.

The School Committee said its counter-proposal later Sunday afternoon included raises, an agreement with the NTA on parental leave and increased social workers across the district, but that NTA representatives walked out of the room and said that the NTA's last proposal was "take it or leave it."

"The NTA bargaining team made clear that the offer presented today would accomplish two things – address the concerns raised by the School Committee with previous proposals and would meet the threshold of what will ratify with the members of the NTA," an NTA spokesperson said on Sunday. "School Committee Chair Chris Brezski, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller and Superintendent Anna Nolin had an opportunity to end this strike.

"They failed to seize that opportunity."

While school had yet to be canceled as of late in the afternoon on Sunday, the NTA said its members would be "on the picket lines Monday and continuing to advocate for what our students and educators need and deserve."

After being hit with $375,000 in fines over the first week of the walkout for what is an illegal strike under Massachusetts law, there was a reprieve in fines over the weekend meant to spur further negotiations.

But another $50,000 was to be assessed to the NTA if the strike was not called off by 8 p.m. on Sunday.

"I really hope this does not continue into another week," Judge Christopher Barry-Smith said on Friday. "(If it does) I'll consider anew the concept that these fines need to be more."