Reached at home during school vacation week, Harvard Teachers Association (HTA) representative Kathleen Doherty said that contract negotiations continue between the union and the School Committee, although she said that she was surprised and disappointed at the School Committee’s letter in last week’s newspapers. “This short letter was disheartening to me,” she said, referring in particular to the statement that the HTA “chose not to continue to work with our offer in an effort to reach a settlement.”
Doherty explained that the February 6 offer from the School Committee did indeed, as stated in its letter, split the difference remaining between the two groups’ positions on the reduction of health insurance benefits for teachers. The teachers were pleased to see movement in the deadlocked negotiations, but were still unwilling to accept the total reduction to benefits, which would be “more of a cut than anyone else in the state has taken,” according to Doherty. She said the teachers made a counteroffer, following the School Committee schedule of benefit reductions spread over a three-year contract, but making reductions in years one and two only, thus stopping short of their end figure. Both offer and counteroffer were rejected.
After the February 6 round of negotiations, encouraged by the School Committee’s movement from its earlier position, the HTA made what Doherty described as a creative offer. The proposal was for a two-year contract that followed the School Committee’s schedule of benefit reductions for years one and two and included reductions to the union’s requested salary offsets and cost of living increases. This offer was also rejected.
Although it is better to have a three-year contract, Doherty said, there is value in waiting to see what legislation develops this spring out of Governor Deval Patrick’s promise to help towns reduce health benefit costs by allowing them into the larger state pool. She said that they could be putting their energy into taking advantage of this program in whatever form it takes, which will require a return to the negotiating table anyway for any union that wishes to participate. According to Doherty, ending work-to-rule now would allow teachers to go into next year focusing on the business of teaching. “We want to settle,” she said.
When reached for comment, School Committee Chairwoman Willie Wickman expressed a similar commitment, “It’s in the best interest of everyone and the sooner we can settle the better.” Other than to say that her committee wants a three-year contract, Wickman did not elaborate on specific details about the recent offer and counteroffers. “School Committee continues to be committed to negotiating in executive session,” she said.
