BROOKLINE, MASS. (WHDH) - Brookline schools are closed Monday as 1,000 teachers plan to strike over a lack of break time and other concerns, officials said.
A court issued an injunction prohibiting the teachers from striking but the union said teachers will picket and rally Monday. School officials said they would not have enough staff to safely operate schools Monday.
Another mediation session is planned for Monday night and school officials said they will notify families by 6 a.m. Tuesday if school is canceled that day as well. Union president Jessica Wender-Shubow said the teachers have been working for three years without a contract and negotiations are stuck on three big issues.
“We need time, break time for every teacher every day, we need some wording in the contract for our staff of color, and we need to make up for years of failure to keep up with the cost of living increases,” Wender-Shubow said. “We have teachers that work for seven or eight hours with not one break. Their day is starting to look like an Amazon warehouse and that is not OK.”
School officials said union proposals would have “substantial logistical and financial implications, but students said their teachers need compensation and time.
“i really hope the teachers get the raise that they deserve, they’re working super hard,” said student Bridget Flynn.
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