Middlesex County

Woburn teachers vote to strike if agreement can’t be reached by Monday, union says

WOBURN, Mass. — Citing continued breakdowns in negotiations with city officials, Woburn educators voted to strike on Friday.

The Woburn Teachers Association says the labor strike will begin on Monday if an acceptable contract agreement can’t be reached with the Woburn School Committee and Mayor Scott Galvin.

“We do not take our decision to strike lightly, and believe that we have exhausted all other options,” Woburn Teachers Association President Barbara Locke said. “We implore Mayor Scott Galvin and the School Committee to help us complete construction of a contract reflecting the quality of Woburn Public Schools and its educators.”

The union says members have been working without a contract and are demanding “living wages for paraprofessionals,” and “smaller class sizes,” amongst other things.

In a joint statement, Mayor Galvin’s office and the Woburn School Committee said:

“The School Committee and Mayor Scott Galvin have been negotiating in good faith for more than a year with the WTA to reach an agreement on a successor collective bargaining agreement. Throughout this process, it has been our mission to develop a contract that is fair for our students, staff and residents of Woburn.”

City officials say the latest proposal made to the union on January 18 is “a fair and highly competitive offer that allows for reduced class sizes, additional collaborative professional development, increased instructional time for students, and a generous wage increase.”

Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Teachers Association sought to change state laws and legalize teacher strikes.

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