BELCHERTOWN — For the first time in recent memory, teacher contract negotiations have stalled and are moving to mediation.
Labor contracts for the more than 300 teachers in the Belchertown Teachers Association expired June 30, 2016 and teachers have been taking to the streets.
“The big picture is — it’s definitely not financial — it’s not over money,” said Lawrence O’Brien, a social studies teacher at Belchertown High School.
O’Brien also serves on the union’s executive board and has been with the district for 13 years.
The impasse, O’Brien explained, is “certain outrageous demands” that pertain to working conditions and professional control of those working conditions.
According to O’Brien, the superintendent and School Committee want to eliminate a past practice clause as well as another clause that allows either side to call for negotiation if an issue arises during the life of the contract.
Generally, a past practice is a longstanding practice in the workplace that has been accepted by labor and management and typically can’t be changed by an employer without bargaining.
Those changes, O’Brien said, would significantly undermine the professional judgment and autonomy that teachers currently have in the classroom.
Belchertown Superintendent Karol Coffin and the School Committee said in a joint statement that they have made a “fair salary offer” but that it would be irresponsible to negotiate in the press.
“The teacher’s union refused to schedule another session with us at our last meeting so we are hoping that the teachers will return to the table and resume negotiations,” the statement said. “Please know that the School Committee and the District will always first and foremost place students at the center of our decisions.”
President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association Barbara Madeloni called the clauses in dispute “bedrock principles of collective bargaining.”
“To remove past practice provisions or the ability to negotiate changes in working conditions would weaken the voice of educators during important discussions on how to best meet the needs of students in Belchertown,” Madeloni said in a statement.
O’Brien said negotiations reached an impasse and the teachers’ union asked for meditation on Nov. 14.
Speaking generally, Ed Srednicki, director of labor relations at the state Department of Labor, explained that the first session with a mediator would be to determine where parties are in the negotiation process.
“What are the proposals that have been put on the table, what happened to them, (and) the bargaining history to that point?” Srednicki said.
Sometimes, Srednicki said, only one session of mediation is needed. While there isn’t a set timeline, the state labor department has a six month guideline for mediation.
Two days after filing for help from the state’s Department of Labor, the teachers took to the pavement and held a “walk-in” at the town’s schools last week, lining the hallways before classes began. On Friday, they rallied on the Belchertown Common holding signs and waving at motorists.
“I know I love working in Belchertown,” O’Brien said. “We’re very devoted to the schools, the students are great, parents are very supportive but there has been a real change with the current administration and current School Committee.”
“No one can recollect in negotiations having management bring forth the terms they have — giving up fundamental rights,” he continued.
Belchertown High School made Newsweek’s 2016 list of America’s Top 500 High Schools, ranking 359th overall. A total of 18 schools in the state made the list, Belchertown High School was 13th among them.
About 2,600 students attend the five schools in the district.
Contract negotiations are still underway for the district’s paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians and food service employees.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com