Tewksbury Teachers Suspend Work To Rule Process

TEWKSBURY, MA — Nearly three months after the protest began, the Tewksbury Teachers Association has suspended its "work to rule" process as an "act of goad faith" in the hopes of reaching a contract within two weeks.

The union voted Monday evening to suspend the tactic, where members "follow official working rules and hours exactly in order to reduce output and efficiency."

The union hopes to complete contract negotiations with new interim Superintendent Brenda Theriault-Regan within two weeks, according to a news release. The union is planning a membership meeting by March 11 "in hopes that we will ratify a new contract."

"The TTA recognizes that the new interim superintendent has played a very active role in the current contract negotiations," the union said. "As an act of good faith during this hopeful negotiation time period for these next two weeks, teachers & aides agreed to temporarily end the work to rule action."

If a contract is not agreed to, the union will still hold the membership meeting to discuss future actions.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.