The Andover lecturers union is dealing with a $50,000 nice for persevering with its strike whereas lecture rooms stay empty, as the college district on Monday began to go after the educator union on social media to “clear up inaccurate information.”
An Essex Superior Court decide has ordered that the Andover Education Association pay a $50,000 nice to the state for failing to finish its strike by Monday night. In Massachusetts, lecturers strikes are unlawful.
If the Andover lecturers proceed to strike after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the union can pay a further $60,000 nice. The subsequent nice can be $70,000 if the union retains placing after 3 p.m. on Wednesday — for a complete nice of $180,000 after three days. The nice would preserve going up $10,000 every day till the strike ends.
“These fines will completely deplete the AEA’s cash reserves, which are built through membership dues,” the Andover Education Association posted on Facebook. “However, we anticipated these fines. We additionally anticipated the School Committee exploiting the illegality of public sector strikes to interrupt the spirit of the educators in Andover.
“The School Committee has not broken us, nor have they broken our resolve to see IAs (instructional assistants) paid a living wage, win fair wage adjustments for teachers, and advocate for the schools the students of Andover deserve,” the union added.
Andover lecturers had been anticipated to proceed strolling the picket line on Tuesday, 5 days after the strike began. The Andover educators are in search of legislators’ help, so they are going to be holding a press convention outdoors the State House on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the college system took the battle to social media on Monday, saying the placing union has been spreading misinformation in regards to the contract battle.
“APS families deserve to know the facts about the School Committee’s ongoing negotiations with the Andover Education Association,” Andover Public Schools posted on Facebook. “Throughout the afternoon and within the coming days, we shall be posting materials to clear up inaccurate info that has been circulated because the AEA initiated a strike on November 9.
“The AEA is telling families that their proposal is just $260,000 off from what the school committee is proposing,” the college district added. “The truth is that their proposal would cost $5.5 million over the life of the contract, which would result in budget cuts and staff reductions.”
The union responded to the college system’s submit, writing that they’ve mentioned the edges are $260,000 aside for the primary 12 months of the deal.
“The Andover School Committee doesn’t want to commit to paying instructional assistants a living wage or giving a fair cost of living adjustment to teachers this year, or going forward,” the union posted. “Their official position is that Andover Public Schools can only operate on the exploited labor of instructional assistants, and the under-service of students with disabilities… Threatening residents with cutting programs and layoffs is dishonest.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”