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The Westford Education Association is suspending work-to-rule activities as of the close of school on Friday, Feb. 17. We are taking this step in order to let the bargaining process continue in the hopes we can reach a fair settlement in the near future.
Our participation in these activities, phased in over the past four weeks, was designed to illustrate to the community the many ways teachers go above and beyond what we are contractually obligated to do in order to provide Westford’s students with an excellent education.
The legal process will move forward on our prohibited practice charge filed with the Department of Labor Relations contending that Westford’s withholding of previously negotiated step increases was illegal. Based on recent actions by the state in a similar case involving Lunenburg, we believe that we will prevail. Even fiscally conservative Westford residents and elected officials should consider the wisdom of negotiating a just and reasonable contract offer prior to any ruling by the state. Failure to do so will cost the town unnecessary legal fees, and risks making the school committee liable for paying restitution for past step increases if the state rules those increases were improperly withheld.
We want the bargaining process to work and for the parties to negotiate a fair contract that will continue to attract and retain quality educators. We have repeatedly made counter-offers that would save the taxpayers of Westford money. Our most recent offer, on February 15, would cost the town half a million dollars less than if the state rules that the withholding of step increases this year was illegal.
The WEA has set a deadline of April 9 for a fair contract settlement. By that time, the parties will have received a decision from the state regarding the failure to pay step increases. If the parties have not reached agreement by that date, the WEA will implement the next stages of our campaign.
We have made giant strides toward meeting the school committee’s demands, while the school committee has so far just made baby steps in our direction. However, baby steps are better than no steps at all. We will continue to make our case to parents, the community and elected officials asking the school committee to meet us half way. The sooner we have a fair contract offer, the sooner we can all go back to devoting all of our energies to providing Westford’s students with the excellent education they deserve.
- WEA president Ruth Freeman and WEA bargaining negotiations lead/vice president Mary McCusker
Pete Marivich
5:28 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
ILLEGAL will be the word to best describe how the town has negotiated with the Teachers when MA Labor Board rules as such in less than 2 weeks....anyone want to guess how long this year's issues will continue to linger in WPS? Next year isnt going to me a magic year all the sudden, Hope Bill Olsen understands this....I wonder if the staff will BOOOOOOO him should stand a deliver a inspirational back to school speech? Does this school Committee have the guts to show up after they have enacted a dry reversal maneuver action on the teachers?
Lisa Sama
6:17 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
The teachers in Westford are the best. Let's hope the town does the right thing.
Beverly Danvers
6:46 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
If the School Committee doesnt show the same good faith and GIVE THE TEACHERS THEIR STEPS when they meet next Tue it will speak volumes on where each side is 'blame wise'. PUT THIS TO REST and do the right thing school committee
Dan D.
9:49 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Has the money tree been found? Where do you want the money to come from? Police? Fire? Lay off a bunch of teachers? The money tree? Where???
Vicky Geary
6:43 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Dan - if you had read the letter about the Town refusing the Teachers most recent offer which is less $$ than the district had originally offered, it is clearly not about money or finding a money tree. Unfortunately all these articles have gotten everyone spun up on one side or the other. The refusal of a less offer looks like it is about more than money. And we as parents and taxpayers do not have the full picture due to the private negotations. I believe our teachers need to be paid fairly and need a fair contract but I don't feel that I am in a position to comment any longer because of the lack of details.
Dan D.
12:37 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Vicky, I just read the letters. The one you are referencing appears to be misleading at best or an outright lie at worst. Ms Harkness' letter has actual facts, not broad misleading statements. It is about money. There isn't any. I know there are lots of great teachers in this town, but the union is making all look bad by choosing to argue their point with emotional, sophmoric misleading sloganeering. The union can certainly gain a lot more respect if they actually came up with solutions on where to find the money they want.
Molly
2:58 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
@Vicki, if we do not have the full picure of the private negotiations then the teachers should have left it a private matter... But they took to the streets thinking it was going to help their cause.. Sorry it did not.. I do tend to side with the school committee, because as a parent and taxpayer who has lived in town for over 20 years and many kids in the school system I watched first hand how well EVERYONE has fought for the great schools we have. The teachers have ALWAYS been treated fairly and some tough decisions throughout the years have had to be made. The school committee does not like to have to ask parents to pay sport fees and activity fees but they did so we can maintain our great schools, the school committee does not like having to ask parents to dig in pockets for bus fees, but they did to help maintain the great schools so on and so on.... The teachers are paid FAIRLY based on this towns resources. It also does not matter the should of or would of's with the money it is not there now. Time this town and in this state and country stop spending what they DO NOT have.. These teacher UNION BULLIES can go BULLY somewhere else!!!
Kathleen Spaeth
11:14 pm on Thursday, February 16, 2012
Since when did the WEA get the right to send out a Letter to the Editor gesticulating and threatening the School Committee? Stand firm School Committee, for all the Taxpayers in Westford (not just the WEA members)!
As stated earlier, if your Step Increases are granted than major staff cuts will be made and some of you will not have jobs next Fall. Will the first WEA Member, who wants to receive their Step Increases, please step forward and make the staff cuts easier for the School Committee! Oh wait a minute, the loudest WEA Members have tenure don't they, so we won't be able to include them in the staff cuts? Some first year teacher, sitting on the sidelines, will be let go. How horrible!
Shame on you WEA for trying to use the Westford Patch as your bully pulpit! Shame on you WEA for trying to use our School Property as a place to protest instead of a place where you are suppose to be educating our children!! However did you find the time to protest so much?
Let's ignore the WEA and wait to hear what the Department of Labor Relations, really there has to be such a Department, has to say. In the meantime, put down your signs, and stop your protesting on Town owned property, and go back to work! We all know that you are trying to drain the Town's coffers dry (when they are already) and we don't need to hear anymore about how you feel.
Bob Nimitz
3:06 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Spaeth,
Do you know Westford is set to hire 14 MORE NEW teachers under the FY2013 Budget? Lets start the firesquad by not hiring those teachers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How can teachers take seriously the threat of firing teachers when the town is bringing more on board?
Julie C.
8:30 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
I took another look at the FY2013 budget, and the vast majority of the new teacher positions are for special education. Not hiring the new special ed teachers may not be an option if they are required by law to satisfy students' IEPs and 504s.
Townie
3:39 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Julie,
How do you explain the new HS English and HS Social Studies positions if we are trying to save teachers jobs and likely going to have to cut cut cut. Logic tells me if you are so broke you are one thin layer from cutting jobs you arent bringing new people on at the same time. Logical right?
Or does Logic not apply in the Alice in Wonderland like fantasy insane world WPS are currently operating under...
Randy Winslow
6:11 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Thank you Townie, just a single year hiring freeze would pay for the steps, with extra.
Julie C.
6:17 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
According to Superintendent Olsen's presentation on the 2013 budget, the new teachers are required for an increase in enrollment.
Vincent DiRico
6:39 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Folks, if you got the steps and the new hires would you have given one back? I doubt it! That has gone on for many years (and I am sure it will be back), just not this year.
Bob Creegan
6:46 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
New hires are NOT required by state law, they are only required if the schools want to keep class size in the SCHOOL Committees recommended ratio of teacher to student. If we are going to have to fire the last hired anyway when the town looses in court PLEASE DO NOT HIRE THESE PEOPLE JUST TO FIRE THEM the next year!!!!
Molly
7:40 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Well said Kathy, I think Ruth Freeman and Mary McCusker missed the latest assembly on how BULLYING will not be tolerated in the schools. They are a prime example of the BIGGEST BULLIES! Even if the town loses at the Labor Board I am just happy to see that the school committee did not bow down to these BULLIES!! Shows they were fighting for the kids of these schools and the taxpayers of this town.. Teachers were only fighting for their very very selfish individual self..
Townie
3:42 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
If the town loses at the Labor Board it was because they BROKE THE LAW and used Illegal tactics to negotiate. I find it interesting you think this is ok for our town? The Angela was also 'mistruthful' about the paying of steps so we can add deception to the list...these are traits and actions that alarm me as a long time resident of Westford back from the days of the farmtown Westford
Westford Mom
4:37 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Why is it that in any other industry an individual who looks out for their own career advancement and who merely wants to be paid a competitive salary would be considered smart- and yet you can call these teachers "selfish"? Are you kidding me? Have you ever met any of these individuals you are calling selfish? Have you driven through the parking lot at 5:00 pm and noted the number of teachers' cars still there working with kids in various facets whose own parents aren't around to do so??? They're not even arguing for a raise- they have accepted O% for three consecutive years. They simply want steps which are actually linked to level of education. You want good competitive teachers who continue to be highly educated = then you have to pay them competitive salaries so that they do not leave and go work in harvard, acton, sudbury etc. where they would be paid at least 10k more a year. Look online- that's public information. before you slander our teachers for being selfish, maybe you should check your facts.
Julie C.
8:34 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
It looks like the teachers have also lost a lot of respect in the eyes of their students as well.
http://www.waghostwriter.com/2012/02/16/contract-negotiations-catch-students-attention/
Haley Verre
1:43 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
As the author of the article that you have provided a link for, the students did not lose respect for their teachers; they just are disappointed that they have no extra help this week. I had no intention of giving the teachers a bad reputation.
Julie C.
1:55 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
The teachers are doing a good enough job of giving themselves a bad reputation with "work-to-rule." In all fairness though, while interviewing students for your article, did you come across anyone supporting the teachers' actions? If so, you should have included their comments as well.
Molly
3:06 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
@Haley, you did a nice job with the article and don't worry you may have not intended to give them a bad reputation but Julie is right the teachers did it on their own. My kids reaction has been similar to the kids you interviewed and none of them have anything to nice to say about their actions. I think most kids today are living the way most people are feeling. Families are cutting back and some families are really struggling. So I think alot of kids do not understand when their teachers are demanding more money and some of these kids parents are out of work. Hard to garner support from these kids.... And for any teacher to put these kids on the frontline when they are already dealing with sooo much is just the most selfish act I have seen in a long time.
Westford Patriot
8:43 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
The Teachers put forward an offer that was less than half of the step costs. However, the School Committee would rather use our tax dollars to pay lawyers than our staff. The School Committee is doing the bidding of Jodi Ross. The firefighters are in the same situations!!!
What a waste of money!!!
Doug
11:58 am on Friday, February 17, 2012
Did you read the letter? The offer leaves the town in the same financial condition after two years. It doesn't matter that the steps are delayed on year. The FY14 budget and beyond is the issue.
Bob Creegan
6:48 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Doug,
So why is Westford teetering on the verge of bankrupcy when other towns are honoring step agreements? If there is no money tree in ANY town why are we worse off? Jodi can you please answer this one? Steps were budgeted for this year and arent being honored.....how is the OK to joe taxpayer? The Money is there and in the end it will cost the town more to do it 'the hard way'
Concerned Citizen
4:26 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
The town says they do not have any money, financial conditons. They knew they had contracts to negotiate this year. Why didn't they plan for the steps. Well they say they don't have the money. They say that every time. Why then is the school giving money back to the town. This town always finds money. Why aren't we holding the administration, school and town accountable for not doing their job of planning for the budget. Every town, state and goverment employee gets steps. And yes public sector too. Have you ever heard of apprentice or interns. Well why aren't we looking at all the waste in this town. Our Adminstration has more assistants. Why do they need assistants? If we are so broke why not reduce all the extra administration. Do we need an assistant town manager or superintendent? Why do we have layers upon layers of administrative staff. Why lets layoff the teachers, patrolmen or firefighters not admin. They are the ones doing the jobs while the administrators are the paper pushers. This town is in the top ten MCAS schools and one of the least spent per pupil. School commitee are you still proud of that one? Steps are everywhere. Why can Westford say they are not paying them. Out of 300 school in the state of mass only a few don't want to pay steps are they top schools too? Why would teachers, patrolmen, or firefighters want to stay working here. Other towns have taken a good look at the administative waste. Westford step up and do the same.
Randy Winslow
6:15 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Well said.
Dan D.
11:13 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
Well, yes, we should be proud that the town has done a better job at delivering high quality education results at lower expenditure per pupil than most towns in the state. Great job by everyone involved in that.
I'm all for looking at ways to reduce waste in town. I'd love to see an independent, analytically oriented group look at all aspects of town expenditures, examining if we are overstaffed or overbuilt in the school system, accounting for each and every town position that is required to fulfill state or federal mandates, and every "minor" expenditures such as financially supporting private businesses (yes, I am still amazed that we, the taxpayers, pay for a fruit stand of all things). I'd also like to see quantitative goals and measurements for every position in the town, and it's cost.
All of this, of course, has nothing to do with the immediate issue, the teacher's union refusal to accept a contract that the town can afford at this time.
June Mary
9:23 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012
Concerned Citizen are you delusional from attending WEA union meetings at which the facts are ignored?
You stated "Why would teachers, patrolmen, or firefighters want to stay working here."
The softest job on earth. Work 185 six-hour days and get paid as much as a highly skilled engineer on an hourly basis. Then you get to retire at 80% of your high 3 years.
Ask your WEA officials about the $67 million unfunded liability for your retirement benefits over and above your 80% pension. BTW Your teacher pension is not taxable in the state of Massachusetts,
Bob Creegan
5:00 pm on Friday, February 17, 2012
Lets look at Curriculum Coordinators who teach 2 classes and ask them to teach 3-4 instead? How about 4 administrators (maybe 5 ) at WA? Admin on top of Admin but its teachers who have to go? Please!!
June Mary
9:34 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012
Creegan, you are good at flapping your gums but you provide little in the way of facts or solutions.
I guess all that preaching to the Finance Committee was only for show. You stated repeatedly that the town's finances were in dire straits.
I must assume that either your spouse is a teacher or one of your kids at WEA is being held hostage.
By switching to a 6 period day at WA, you reduce the amount of teachers required by 15%. By adhering to the 22.5 pupil/teacher ratio average in K-8,you reduce the required staffing by 17%. By my count at least 54 teachers and 20 teaching assistants positions would be eliminated. A pot of $4+ million would be generated.
Of course since we are well into the school year, 100+ teachers and 40+ teaching assistants will have to be terminated by 1 April.
Townie
6:11 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
I wonder if there is no Contract by April 9th if WORK TO RULE will last April 10-End of the year? I think many of these kids need too much 'extra help' anyway because they are pressured (race to nowhere, race to nowhere) to take all upper level classes and many kids who are there dont belong. Of course the Westford Schools doesnt know how to say no, so now a student who should never be in a honors or AP class needs extra help extra help extra help. If SC Chair Harkness is going to claim work stoppage for taking away previously available help the teachers are going to realize they need to significantly trim back extra help so the 'available before' is never used against them. Nice job school committee! How are the juniors going to get letters of recommendation to get into college if the teachers feel belittled and unappreciated by the town (and my understanding is thats exactly how they feel) not only because of the money but the statements they know are 'mistruths' from officials! Doesnt sit well!!
Julie C.
10:03 am on Saturday, February 18, 2012
I agree with you on the upper level/AP classes issue. Back in the olden days when I went to school, only the top 5% academically talented kids were allowed to take advanced/AP classes. But this is Westford, where (as in Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon) "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
Dan D.
10:48 am on Monday, February 20, 2012
Ms. Freeman,
What are you threatening after April 9th if the Magic Money Tree is not found?
Why in the world should the town meet halfway? If it does, then the other union contracts will open up, and the town will inevitably have to lay off some of your union members and others in the town. Is that what you want??
Virnichii
11:28 am on Monday, February 20, 2012
Dan,
How can the town (or you) keep talking about firing when next year's budget has 13 NEW Teaching positions in it? Lets at the VERY LEAST institute a hiring FREEZE while this issue settles itself....
Virnichii
11:35 am on Monday, February 20, 2012
April 9th: My guess is that sports coaches will not sign next year's athletic contract leaving sports to 'hang in the breeze' and teachers will not volunteer to advise stipend extra curricular clubs for next year if the summer rolls around with no contract.
My understanding is this was done here in Westford in the mid 1980s (All Coaches submitted a letter of resignation) . Since we are obviously one thin layer from going bust as a town maybe we SHOULD look to start axing sports programs as these are not 'Must Haves' in a town that cant make ends meet....
Dan D.
9:13 am on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Very nice. So, if the union cannot win the argument, take it out on the kids to pressure parents to pressure the town? I've been here since before the mid 1980's and don't remember the coaches resigning. Maybe it happened. Doesn't make it an any less cheap tactic. Maybe a new crop of volunteers who are not teachers would work better anyhow?
Andrew Sylvia
3:22 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012
A comment with profanity has been removed per our terms of service.
Kathleen Spaeth
12:17 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Andrew, can you kindly give us an update on the status (and the results) of the Department of Labor Relations Hearing between the WEA and the Westford School Committee?
I am also surprised to read that some of our Westford Academy students need to get "extra help", from their teachers, in order for them to be able "to maintain their academic status". Shouldn't our WA Teachers be teaching our students properly and measurably, during the normal school hours, so that they should be able to maintain their "academic status" on their own? Also, why aren't the students taught the "academic skills" to be able to work on their own, and with other "study groups" of students. Why are they teaching students to be so dependant on them?
I also read that there are suggestions that all Afterschool Clubs and Sports should be cancelled, since the teacher's aren't being paid to hold these activities. No problem with me! Why do some of you feel that your children should be participating in these Afterschool Clubs and Sports instead of concentrating on their academics? Is this why your children are so distracted, and "stressed out", and why they can't keep up their "academic status"? Eliminate them all, and all the corresponding teachers (and coaches), and let's save a great deal of money and concentrate on academics! Any Afterschool Programs should be supervised (and paid for) by their parents and not us taxpayers!! Boy is this going to shake you all up huh?
Andrew Sylvia
12:47 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Hi Kathleen,
To my knowledge, the hearings not being held publically as of yet due to their connection to the mediation process, which so far is also still private to my knowledge, I have not received any statement from last Friday night's School Committee executive session, which is also not open to the public.
WEA representatives had more information in their last letter to the editor (http://westford.patch.com/articles/letter-teachers-suspending-work-to-rule), and at the last School Committee meeting Chairwoman Harkness indicated that if the unfair labor practices complaint process continues, it will likely conclude sometime around January 2013.
Vicky Geary
3:57 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Kathleen, I for one am in support of afterschool clubs as I think it is important to have a well balanced life. Academics are important and should come first but it is not the only thing in life. And not every student needs extra help. So are you suggesting that because some students need help, afterschool programs and sports should be eliminated for all, even those who can balance academics and other passions.
Additionally, I would also like to note that afterschool clubs and sports are primarily supported through activity fees and sports fees, not necessarily taxpayer dollars but by the parents of the children who participate. And I do agree that for moment, if the teachers do not wish to participate because they are not getting paid, that is their choice and I would support that and agree that parents should step up and supervise afterschool clubs
Hartley
7:25 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2012
Dear Kathleen:
After school activities are not extra curricular -- they are CO Curricular - "Complementing but not part of the regular curriculum". They include, drama (public speaking), student council (leadership/service), chess club (helps with criticial thinking skills), newspaper club (writing skills), service club (teaching the values of "giving back") and they go on and on.
Westford Townie
4:33 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
I have heard that kids at WA can take any class they want (honors- AP) if their parents support an 'override' against the teachers recommendation. This leads to MANY kids placed in classes that are 'over their heads' but since this is westford they get what they want. What that does help foster though is a significant amount of students who dont belong in Honors or AP who now need "extra help' to keep up with the work. This is different than the struggling student in a CP class. Extra help should not be given often (if at all) in upper level classes. These classes should be for students capiable of keeping up on their own without being spoonfed extra help by the teachers who felt they were not best placed in that course to begin with. Just food for thought!
Molly
9:13 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Kids are able to take classes Ap and honor classes if their parents override it, but I do not see this as a common practice... Many teachers provide and are great at making after school help accessible. Let's remember there are many teachers that do not make extra help very accessible. Sports and afterschool clubs have been part of the public school system for as long as I can remember. Keep in mind many of the fees that are charged are paying some of the teachers. The sports and clubs have really become an incredible money machine. Noone gets cut, they take every kids money and many just sitting on sidelines.... All about the money. As for teachers coaching these sports? Many coaches are from out of town and there are parents that are coaching and assisting coaching. They are not all teachers.
Kathleen Spaeth
11:41 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
It would so nice to get a breakdown of all the After School Programs and Sports Activities and to figure out whether they are being supervised by Teachers (who get paid additional monies for this via the Activities and/or Sports Fees or some other additional compensation) or by Volunteers (Parents that aren't getting paid). If a Teacher is getting paid via the Activities and/or Sports Fees than why aren't they currently fufilling their obligations?
Also, right now the Teachers are saying that they aren't getting paid (that they are volunteering) to provide "after school help". So is there anyway to get factual data on this either? The students at the Westford Academy, in the previous article, seem to be "over their heads academically" and I am wondering why they were allowed to take classes that they couldn't perform on their own without getting "afterschool assistance" from their teachers?
Julie C.
7:58 am on Friday, February 24, 2012
Kathleen, the after school activities that my kids are involved in, which include a contractual stipend for the teachers who are acting as advisors, are "business as usual." The teachers are continuing to fulfill their obligations to these clubs and activities for which they receive a stipend.
Sarah
4:22 pm on Monday, February 27, 2012
School Committee Meeting tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Millenium Building. The second item is "public forum", then after a recognition for community service, an update on the teacher's contract.
Jay Hardin
5:58 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Does anyone know if Westford Teachers are going back to 'Work to rule' in April? I seem to have remember reading that if they didnt have a contract by April 6th they would resume work to rule. I wonder what this situation will mean when it comes to teachers spending hours and hours of their own time to write students Letters of Recommendation this year?
Dan C
6:11 am on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I drove by the school today and saw lots of WEA 'CONTRACT NOW' green signs in cars. When I asked, I was told that teachers have had brought back some parts of work to rule such as declining the invitation to volunteer their time above their requirements for the school day. I also was told that next year teachers would escalate further.
Andrew, I havent seen anything here. Any way you can confirm any of this with the teachers or Angela Harkness or Bill Olsen? After being kept so informed to this local situation on the patch there has been an absence for good informational updates for the past 6 weeks.
Mario
4:26 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
I believe I heard that just about all volunteerism is no longer taking place this year or next, Of course not all teachers follow the pack so some here and there will continue. I hope the school committee is ready to stand firm next year as I can only imagine things are going to get more hostile and rough