NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Representatives of the Newton Teachers Association and the Newton School Committee were back in court Friday, speaking with a judge after the ongoing Newton teacher strike forced a sixth day of canceled classes in the Newton Public Schools.
With fines related to the strike already reaching $375,000, the judge opted to grant the Newton Teachers Association breathing room, giving them a three-day break from new fines and setting a lower $50,000 fine to take effect if the strike continues past 8 p.m. Sunday.
“I don’t think the legislature intended for the courts to be issuing fines that are so large that they undermine collective bargaining being fair and effective and productive,” said Judge Chris Barry-Smith.
Teachers, like other public employees, are prohibited from striking in Massachusetts. As such, Barry-Smith on Monday imposed a series of increasing fines for each day the strike continues.
Now more than a week after educators voted to authorize a strike and nearly four days after the first fines took effect, an attorney representing the teachers association told Barry-Smith the school committee is not interested in making a deal.
A city attorney, in turn, said teachers are not responding to various proposals and refusing to collaborate while concentrating on protests.
“We believe they’re bargaining in bad faith,” said Laurie Houle, representing the teachers.
“We are there, every day,” said Jennifer King, representing the city of Newton. “We have people taking time off of their own jobs to be there with the union every day.”
Attorneys for the city and the state argued fines should continue to increase.
A lawyer for the teachers association said less is more, saying a break from the fines might lead to a weekend breakthrough.
Barry-Smith opted to pause fines and set the lower $50,000 penalty, saying he hopes the strike will come to an end.
Union, school committee continue talks while governor calls for end to strike
Newton teachers have been pushing for a series of measures in a new contract, including steps to address student mental health, higher wages, and paid family leave for all educators.
City officials have pushed back, saying they cannot afford the cost of living increase and other changes the union is seeking.
After days of talks without a deal, city officials and union representatives started the day Thursday noting progress in negotiations.
By mid-afternoon, though, tensions flared as striking teachers gathered at Newton City Hall.
Teachers said they at one point tried to go inside City Hall to meet with Fuller. Asked to leave, teachers said they initially refused and knocked on the mayor’s door, prompting police to step in.
“I am all in on resolving this and we’ve got to do it urgently,” Fuller said later Thursday night.
Educators in other school districts have moved forward with strikes in defiance of state law in recent years. But the strike in Newton has already become the longest in recent memory, surpassing a strike in Woburn that closed schools for five days in January and February of last year.
Back on the picket line Friday, Newton teachers said they remained steadfast in their determination to continue striking until Newton schools are “fully funded.”
In Boston, in the meantime, Gov. Maura Healey shared her thoughts, saying the strike has been “devastating” for students and their families.
“It has gone on and on and my hope is — get back in the classroom, negotiate outside but let’s get these kids back in school,” Healey told reporters.
School committee and union representatives provided an update on the status of negotiations in court on Friday.
Though negotiations were ongoing, parties said there were several unresolved items.
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