The Marblehead Education Association (MEA) has asked its members to stop working outside of their contractually obligated agreements.
During a meeting with the School Committee on Oct. 1, the MEA bargaining team determined that beginning Oct. 2, members would cease voluntary work on scheduled days once a week, a practice referred to as “work to rule.”
Examples of voluntary work, according to a press release, include chaperoning, serving on committees, sending out newsletters, and offering extra help outside of those outlined contractually.
“We have no choice but to escalate our protest to their intransigence and demand the committee bargain in good faith and start prioritizing the educators and students in this town,” MEA Co-President Jonathan Heller said in the release.
Heller stated that during the meeting, the union’s proposal was rejected “in its entirety” and that the School Committee “refused to make a counterproposal on wages.”
“We know this will be disruptive, and the last thing we want is to further burden students and families,” Heller said. “All schools in Marblehead will engage in work to rule one day per week and rotate buildings affected by the action.”
Heller added that the MEA will continue to present solutions to the School Committee to address the problems in the schools.