Tuesday, January 15, 2013
After months of negotiations and tension between the two sides last year, the contract was finalized on Monday night.
The negotiations between the Westford Education Association (WEA) and the Westford School Committee concluded last June and the new contract went into effect on Monday. In 5-0-0 votes, the School Committee voted to approve the new contracts for Unit A and Unit G of the WEA. Unit A consists of all school district employees involved in classroom work excluding teachers' aides and Unit G includes Math and Reading intervention specialists. The board also unanimously approved new contracts for office professionals and Superintendent Bill Olsen. Olsen's new agreement, which lasts until 2016, was largely unchanged from his former deal, outside of a small increase for travel fees and $3,000 to be obtained upon retirement. He also told the board …
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The School Committee has released details of the negotiation process between themselves and the Westford Education Association.
- SCHOOLS
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012
The following comes from the Westford School Committee -- The School Committee has repeatedly been asked to supply the public with details of our negotiations with the teachers’ union. During the course of formal negotiations the sharing of negotiation details with the public about the offers was prohibited. After formal negotiations ended, the Committee accepted the advice of the State mediator not to disclose the details of the offers over the course of the mediation with the WEA as the best process to reach an agreement. On February 28, 2012, an Agreement on the terms of a successor contract was reached with the negotiating team authorized to represent the teachers. This agreement was rejected by the union members at a …
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Westford School Committee chairman Angela Harkness has indicated that the School Committee needs to provide more information.
After this weekend’s announcement from the Westford Education Association, School Committee chairwoman Angela Harkness told Westford Patch on Monday that new measures are now likely necessary in order to break the contract negotiation deadlock. “I’m sort of at a loss where we go from here,” said Harkness. “Obviously we’ll have to continue negotiating, although I’ve been trying to think really hard why the offer was rejected.” Although Harkness stated that she believes neither side wants to see layoffs or reduced programs for students, at this point her belief is that further information is needed to convince the teachers that the School Committee has been earnest in their position that no money is currently available for step increases …
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
School Committee chairwoman Angela Harkness indicated during an update last night that progress was made during the last mediation between the two sides and a special mediation has been planned for today in what may result in resolution to the process.
Today may be the last day of the ongoing teachers’ contract impasse, that is, if last night’s School Committee meeting at the Millennium Building is any indication. School Committee chairwoman Angela Harkness announced that another mediation is scheduled for this morning due to what was described as significant progress made during the last mediation on Feb. 15. The update was part of a series of updates that have occurred during the past several School Committee meetings in an attempt by Harkness to balance privacy agreed by both sides that would be needed to foster the negotiation process and help keep the public aware of pertinent details that impact the School Department. Harkness indicated that at the Feb. 15 meeting the town’s …
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
The following is a letter to the editor from the Westford Education Association. To send your own letter, e-mail us at westford@patch.com
- OPINION
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
The mediation session held this past Wednesday night was an exercise in futility. The teachers once again showed flexibility by making several creative offers to break the logjam. We put forth a number of options designed to enhance the productivity of both students and staff. They also do not impact the budget and would allow more time on learning for students. One of the options was to pilot a change in the schedule, following a model that is being used in many other towns. The School Committee, on the other hand, has refused to move off of its original, unacceptable offer. We were met with a continued “no.” The School Committee refused to engage in a reciprocal process of give and take, and ended the meeting saying they were…
Monday, February 6, 2012
The following is a letter to the editor. To send your own letter to the editor, e-mail us at westford@patch.com
- OPINION
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Monday, February 6, 2012
The Board of Selectmen is disappointed that negotiations between the School Committee and the WEA (teachers’ union) have broken down. The Board remains supportive of the School Committee’s resolve to protect jobs and to preserve educational programming. The Board is disheartened by the WEA’s apparent unwillingness to appreciate these difficult fiscal times. The WEA continues to demand two years of step increases for teachers. It has rejected multiple counterproposals offered by the School Committee. And, it is their refusal to move off this demand that has led to the current impasse. Simply put, the WEA’s uncompromising demand that teachers receive two years of step increases is not possible given the Town’s current financial resources …
Alex Finnegan
3:56 am on Friday, April 12, 2013
I'll be watching carefully. Just be sure to remember that I was trying to tell the teachers that they weren't broke, that the whole thing was just masterfully planned opportunism. In the end they did what they felt was right, but I think now, it's apparent to them. more ›