MARBLEHEAD — After a weekend without further progress, the strike continues across all Marblehead public schools.
On Sunday night the Marblehead Education Association held a press conference outside of Marblehead High School addressing Sunday’s bargaining efforts.
“I have nothing,” said MEA president Jonathan Heller in regards to Sunday’s bargaining updates. Heller continued to thank the Marblehead Select Board for releasing a graphic that compared the cost of salary proposals from both the MEA and the School Committee.
Heller explained that the difference between the two proposals in additional tax dollars for the average home worth $1.2 million dollars would be $625.52. According to Heller that would be roughly $1.72 a day over the course of the year. The MEA believes the students and themselves are well worth that additional $1.72 per day.
In the School Committee’s press release Sunday night it stated, “negotiations are a two-way street,” and at the MEA press conference Heller said, “it takes two,” in regards to negotiating.
The two parties continue to point fingers at one another making the same claims about the other. The MEA believed this problem was a result of the lack of face-to-face bargaining due to the presence of a mediator.
On Monday morning, the MEA sent out a press release stating that negotiations have returned to face-to-face. The MEA is confident that speaking directly and honestly to one another will result in movement towards an agreement. The MEA also sees this as a way to rebuild the trust between the two parties, noting that the two will have to continue to work with one another even after the contract agreement has been reached.
“There are no tentative agreements, but there is progress,” Heller said at the press conference at 7:45 p.m. on Monday.
Educators from Marblehead, Gloucester, and Beverly will be holding a press conference and rally at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday on the steps of the State House in Boston. Marblehead teachers have also organized a walk from Marblehead High School to Old Town House at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
Negotiations will continue on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Marblehead High School.
