There will be no school in Newton, Massachusetts, again on Monday after negotiations over the weekend failed to produce an agreement or new contract, meaning teachers there will remain on strike to start the week.
Despite three full days of mediation, the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and the Newton School Committee failed to reach agreement on a new contract, city and school officials said Sunday night.
Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in her update that it is "frustrating and deeply disappointing" that schools will be closed for a second day.
"I believe firmly the adults can negotiate to resolve these issues and have a competitive contract that honors our teachers and is sustainable for our community …. while our children are in school learning," she wrote in a statement. "Tonight, the union can decide to continue negotiations with adults bargaining and our kids learning in classrooms."
"I ask the union to join us and put the kids first," Fuller added.
Schools were closed Friday after the Newton Teachers Association voted overwhelmingly the day before to start the strike.
A judge issued an injunction Friday evening ordering teachers to end their strike by 3 p.m. Sunday and get teachers back to class Monday but after hours of back-and-forth between the union and the school committee, a deal wasn't reached this weekend.
The school committee said it entered the third full day of mediation on Sunday with the goal of reaching a mutually satisfactory agreement with the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and ensuring that students could return to school Monday.
According to the school committee, they waited over five hours Sunday for a response from the teacher's union on school committee proposals that were made on Saturday. They then proposed that the negotiating teams continue to mediate on Monday while students and all other staff return to school, however, NTA President Mike Zilles reportedly refused and responded that teachers will remain on strike until they reach an agreement.
The school committee says it has offered revised proposals that improve benefits related to parental leave and address concerns regarding the time and learning agreement.
"Given these enhanced proposals, we were optimistic that the NTA would respond today in a manner that would allow us to have a productive conversation," the school committee said, adding that unfortunately a majority of the day was spent waiting on the NTA's response.
The school committee also said the teachers association did not respond to the most recent compensation proposal, which was made back in December, and increased its monetary demands on other items relative to their most recent proposals.
"There remains significant distance between the parties on the other major issues," the school committee added, noting that they had anticipated the NTA would continue its illegal strike on Monday, cancelling school.
"The School Committee has continued to improve its overall package to the NTA and has moved toward the NTA position on several important issues," the school committee concluded Sunday. "Unfortunately, the NTA continues to increase and change its requests. We will continue to work today, and every day, to reach an agreement."
Superintendent Anna Nolin sent a message to families on Sunday night confirming school would not be in session on Monday, Jan. 22, despite three full days of mediation.
Buildings will be closed and all school-related events and activities will be postponed until the strike ends, she said.
The superintendent said she'd continue to communicate with families each day by 7:30 p.m. if school will be in session the next day.
"I understand how difficult this uncertainty is for our families and our students," she wrote. "We continue to hope for a quick resolution so that our students can return to our classrooms."
Nolin also provided information to families who need assistance with meal pick up while the strike remains in effect. Anyone who needs access to medical or health supplies in school buildings is asked to reach out to their principal directly. Building access cannot be facilitated for any other items left there, she added.
