After bargaining through the night, the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and the Newton School Committee are “extremely close” to settling a contract, according to an email sent out by the committee last night Thursday, Feb. 1, with both sides hoping to end the strike and return students to school this Monday.
According to the NTA’s press release this morning, the two parties were financially identical in their proposals by 4 a.m. today.
“The School Committee ended negotiations with striking Newton educators at 6 a.m. leaving unresolved a return-to-work agreement and a commitment on securing social workers for every school,” the NTA said in their press release.
The committee’s proposed return to work agreement would incur approximately $1.1 million from the NTA, which “supports a thoughtful transition back to school and ensures students receive services required by law,” according to the committee’s email update.
However, according to the NTA’s press release regarding the return-to-work agreement, “The committee showed no interest in healing rifts or truly ending the strike.”
Yesterday, the committee additionally decided to eliminate four days from the February break in order to compensate for the eleven school days missed during the strike. The last day of school will also be pushed back by one week. Details about the plan for the remaining two days have not been disclosed by the committee.
Negotiations resumed today at 1 p.m. and there will be a union rally at 5 p.m outside the Education Center.
