Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Employees representing Westford's schools, police, fire department and other departments were on hand at Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting to speak out against proposed cuts to their insurance coverage.
Town Hall was at capacity for the second time this year as town employees and other residents packed the halls and meeting room to voice their concerns regarding a proposal asking 67 percent of the town's employees covered by municipal health plans to contribute another $1.3 million. Board of Selectmen chairman Kelly Ross told the assembled crowd that the Board had voted to take any proposed changes off the table in executive session, continuing that the issue would go back to the Insurance Advisory Committee, which met on Monday. “I know this is personal, but I ask you all to hang in there,” he said, adding that the board hopes to work with town employees to get through what is expected to be a difficult fiscal year. During the public …
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
This week teachers in Chicago left the classrooms and hit the street to protest breakdowns over a new contract. Are these echoes of what was seen in Westford?
- SCHOOLS
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Earlier this week, teachers in Chicago voted to strike for the first time in 25 years following an impasse over contract negotiations. While a strike for Westford's teachers wouldn't have been possible under Massachusetts state law, today we want to ask if there is a common thread between the situation in Chicago and the one teachers encountered here. Is comparing a town of 22,000 people and one of the largest cities in the country an apples and oranges proposition? Or do teachers face the same challenges in education everywhere across America? And how does Boston Magazine's #22 ranking for Westford and the potential budget problems for upcoming years impact any potential comparison? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don't …
Monday, July 9, 2012
Today's question of the day looks at last month's new teachers' contract and asks if significant cutbacks in nearby Dracut impacted things here in Westford.
Only four days before last month's new Westford Education Association contract, ending the long standoff between Westford's teachers and the town, school officials in Dracut eliminated over 50 positions in their district. Like Westford, Dracut has been facing significant budgetary obstacles, although the outcome between the two towns was obviously much different. Today we're looking for your thoughts on what happened with both towns. Is comparing Westford and Dracut like comparing apples and oranges? Are there tangible similarities? Did the Dracut decision impact things in Westford? What's next for the two towns? Share your thoughts below in our comments section.
Friday, June 15, 2012
The decision ends a more than year-long standoff between Westford's teachers and the School Committee.
Westford's teachers' union, the Westford Education Association, is reporting this hour that they have ratified a new contract by what they are saying was a substantial majority. Now the contract goes to the School Committee for their ratification, with the two sides coming to the tentative agreement last week shortly after a rally at the Stony Brook School. “Recognizing that these are difficult financial times for many local residents, our members agreed to accept an extremely frugal contract,” said Ruth Freeman, outgoing president of the Westford Education Association. “We hope that these sacrifices are acknowledged and remembered when the economy improves and we are back at the table.” Under the new agreement, teachers will drop their …
Thursday, June 7, 2012
With speakers from Westford and beyond on hand to give words of encouragement, Westford Education Association vice president Mary McCusker provided assembled teachers an update on the current status of negotiations and what might be needed of a resolution
The Westford Education Association returned to the negotiating table with the Westford School Committee on Wednesday night, shortly after a rally letting assembled teachers know that there may be an escalation of Work-to-Rule activities later this year. WEA leaders joined with allies and spokespeople from Westford and beyond to let assembled teachers know that while negotiations for a new contract came very close to an amicable conclusion a week earlier, action may be needed to ensure that the union receives what it considers to be a fair deal. Nine-time Concord-Carlisle Teachers’ Association president Andrei Joseph shared experiences with the crowd from a similar situation his union faced several years ago. “Anxious members came to me, as…
Saturday, March 17, 2012
The following is a letter to the editor. To submit your own letter to the editor, e-mail us at westford@patch.com
- OPINION
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Saturday, March 17, 2012
The Westford Education Association overwhelmingly voted not to ratify the proposed tentative agreement for a new contract by more than a two to one margin. The membership has spoken, and rejected the agreement reached after fourteen months of bargaining that culminated in a seven-hour mediation session. Clearly, the teachers are sending a message that previously agreed to step increases should be honored while a new contract is being negotiated. That is the customary practice in Massachusetts and is required by law. In light of this vote, the WEA will reinstate the prohibited practice charge we filed seeking to require the district to honor the salary schedule. Bargaining will also have to resume. Whatever the outcome, Westford's …
Friday, March 2, 2012
Westford Patch has just received word that a tentative agreement on a new contract has been reached between the Westford School Committee and the Westford Education Association
Westford Patch has just learned in a joint statement from the Westford School Committee and Westford's teachers' union, the Westford Education Association (WEA), that a tentative mediation settlement has been reached. According to the statement, the settlement was reached at the latest mediation session on Tuesday, February 28, and is subject to ratification by the WEA at meeting on March 16. No further information was given, we will provide more information as it becomes available.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
The following is a letter to the editor. To submit your own letter, e-mail us at westford@patch.com
- OPINION
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
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 …
The following is a letter to the editor. To send your own letter to Patch, e-mail us at westford@patch.com
- OPINION
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Thursday, February 16, 2012
On Wednesday night the Westford Education Association (WEA) bargaining team presented an offer that costs less than the District’s most recent offer. We reduced the dollar cost of our package by almost fifty percent, more than 500,000 dollars. Unfortunately, the District rejected this offer and chose to place politics ahead of the interests of the Town, the students, and the quality of education in Westford. The WEA is discussing next steps. Mary McCusker Vice President, Westford Education Association
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Westford teachers hope that a series of visibility actions outside Westford's public schools before and after the regular school day this week will sway residents to their side.
Following the recent negotiating impasse that ended the current round of mediation between the Westford Education Association and the Westford School Committee, WEA members began taking to the street corners outside schools to once again aim at garnering support at their cause. The visibility began on Monday, with teachers from the Nabnasset, Miller and Robinson Schools outside carrying banners and wearing the bright green t-shirts of the union before and after the school day, with teachers from Westford’s other public schools standing outside on Monday morning. Monday’s efforts will be duplicated, with the t-shirts and banners shifting on Tuesday to the Abbot, Day and Crisafulli Schools, Wednesday to the Stony Brook and Blanchard Schools …
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Alex Finnegan
10:48 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013
This wasn't your intent but it's a good opportunity for me to explain something to folks who just don't get it, but bear in mind I'm not attributing bad motive to your words. "Most have not the luxury you have" Yet everyone has the opportunity? For whatever reason they choose not to do it. But I have worked very hard since the age of 14 in many different professions. Every job I took I advanced … more ›