Judges fine two striking teachers' unions in Massachusetts $50,000 a day

BOSTON, Massachusetts: Two of the three striking teacher unions in Massachusetts who refused to return to the classroom were fined US$50,000 a day.

Judges imposed the fines for the unions in Beverly and Gloucester, which would rise by $10,000 a day as long as they remain on strike.The unions voted on November 7 to authorize a strike, and schools were closed on November 8. Schools remain closed in those districts.

A third district, Marblehead, voted to go on strike on November 12. It was taken to court the next day, and similar fines could also be applied.

Massachusetts law bans public-sector employees from going on strike, and teacher strikes are rare in Massachusetts.

The Beverly Teachers Association has advocated for reduced class sizes in the district, which serves 4,500 students. They have also demanded 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave and a "living wage" for paraprofessionals or teachers' assistants, whose starting pay is currently $20,000.

Julia Brotherton and Andrea Sherman, the association's co-presidents, indicated that they anticipated these fines related to the ongoing dispute.

In the Gloucester district, which has 2,800 students, the union is requesting eight weeks of fully paid parental leave, followed by two weeks at 75 percent pay and another two weeks at 50 percent. Additionally, they are seeking substantial wage increases for paraprofessionals, safer learning environments for students, and more preparation time for elementary teachers.

Earlier this year, teachers in Newton, a suburb of Boston, also went on strike. After an 11-day work stoppage, both parties reached an agreement, marking the sixth and longest teacher strike in Massachusetts since 2022.

A judge fined Newton's teachers association over $600,000 for breaking the state's prohibition on public worker strikes. Half of the fine was directed to the city, and the other half to the state.

The agreement ultimately provided teachers with a 13 percent cost-of-living raise over four years, pay increases for classroom aides and 40 days of fully paid family leave.