Teachers Union Strike

The Andover Education Association, representing 800 educators constituting 75% of Andover Public Schools staff, made the decision to go on strike on Thursday, November 9, 2023. This action followed unsuccessful attempts to secure a contract through over two dozen bargaining sessions.

The union's primary objectives included advocating for equitable salary increases for teachers, improved compensation for instructional assistants, who ranked among the lowest-paid educators within the school system, additional elementary lunch and recess time for students, adoption of paid family leave policies consistent with those of comparable districts, safeguards for educator preparation time, and increased involvement in curriculum decision-making processes.

Friday, November 10th, the strike officially began with members of the teacher’s union picketing outside of school buildings. Schools closed to Andover students.

As the strike persisted, on November 14th, the Andover teachers union found itself subject to a $50,000 fine for its ongoing strike. An Essex Superior Court judge mandated that the Andover Education Association pay this fine to the state for not terminating the strike by Monday evening. In Massachusetts, teachers strikes are deemed illegal.

Andover teachers on strike took their battle to Beacon Hill on Tuesday, November 14, urging Governor Maura Healey and state lawmakers to intervene in the ongoing dispute, now in its fifth day. During a rally outside the Statehouse, members of the union criticized the school district for what they perceived as a lack of sincere negotiation efforts with teachers. That evening, there was a resolution to the conflict, with both the union and the school administration releasing statements confirming that a contract had been reached.

Wednesday, November 15th, students returned to school, marking the conclusion of a five-day strike that had resulted in school closures for three days. The tentative agreement reached included substantial raises for both teachers and instructional aides over a four-year period: 15.5% for teachers and 34% for instructional aides.

As part of the agreement, the School Committee disclosed that teachers will now have access to eight weeks of fully paid parental leave, with the option to utilize an additional four weeks of accumulated sick time. Additionally, the agreement addresses key priorities for the union by increasing elementary teacher planning time and extending recess periods for younger students.

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