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If the city were to agree to union demands in its next contract with the Haverhill Education Association, the city’s lead negotiator says upwards of 65 teachers would lose their jobs.
That’s the stark assessment School Committee member Paul A. Magliocchetti, chair of Subcommittee on Teacher Negotiations. In reporting to his Haverhill School Committee colleagues, Magliocchetti said the district and the teachers’ union has met six times since March and found little common ground.
“We are very far apart. Financially, their proposal is $22 million over our proposal. That’s not the total cost. That’s the difference between our proposal and their proposal—22 million that would cost the average taxpayer $937 a year,” Magliocchetti said.
The current contract between the teachers and the school district expired Monday. Magliocchetti said he remains hopeful a new agreement will be in place by the beginning of the school year in September even in the face of vastly differing positions. But he said he believes the Massachusetts Teachers Association, or MTA, the parent of the Haverhill Education Association, is trying to make an example of the city.
“There is an issue and I just want to prepare everyone for that because the MTA has taken a very strong position. I believe they see Haverhill as being vulnerable and that are trying to take advantage of that,” he said.
Barry Davis, president of the Haverhill Education Association, agreed his union and the school administration are far apart but he said he doesn’t think requests the union has made would cost the city anywhere near $22 million Magliocchetti is projecting nor does he believe layoffs are inevitable.
“What we always hear is our requests are too expensive and the city can’t afford it,” Davis said, noting the union is not calling for teacher layoffs. “They are ignoring new streams of revenue the city will be receiving from the state among other sources.”
Davis also took issue with Magliocchetti’s claim that the teachers’ union is dragging its feet on meeting with city officials. “We are at the table,” Davis said succinctly. Haverhill teachers went out on strike in 2022.
The School Committee is offering a cost-of-living adjustment of 2% a year to help teachers keep up with inflation on top of the step increases teachers receive for each additional year of service which averages 3.08%. Teachers who continue their education can increase their salaries by earning additional degrees and graduate credits.
Among the union’s requests is an increase in parental leave. Teachers are requesting up to one year of leave for either parent following the birth, adoption or placement of a child up to age 18, of which 12 weeks would be paid and not deducted from accrued sick time. Currently, teachers who give birth can take up to six weeks of paid leave. In response the district has offered to increase paid parental leave to up to 12 weeks for the birth parent only and the leave would be drawn from accrued time.
In its own analysis of how its teacher fare financially, the school administration contends teacher salaries are competitive with other schools in the region. Teachers with master’s degrees and five years of experience currently earn about 6.6% more than their peers in surrounding districts, according to a school department study.
Davis likewise said he hoped that negotiations can come to a timely conclusion.
“We believe our proposals will make the Haverhill Public Schools a better place for low income and students of color and will help attract and retain the best educators which is what all our students need and deserve.”