1000+ Petition For Andover IAs As Negotiation Goes To Factfinder

ANDOVER, MA — Nearly 1,200 people have signed a petition calling on the Andover School Committee to "return to negotiations" with the instructional assistants, as both sides prepare to go to factfinding.

The instructional assistants have been working under an expired contract since summer 2020. Recently, the state mediator overseeing negotiations between the district and the instructional assistants has ordered they go to factfinding.

The two sides will present to the state-appointed factfinder Nov. 9, the School Committee said at their Oct. 21 meeting, as first reported by the Andover Townsman.

That meeting opened with nearly an hour of public comments in support of the instructional assistants, concluding with teachers union President Matthew Bach presenting the petition. As of Friday, the petition has 1,186 signers.

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Instructional assistants and their supporters called for a "competitive living wage" and noted the higher wages in nearby Haverhill.

The committee said "returning to the table" would not be possible because of the state-ordered factfinding.

The full meeting is available here from AndoverTV.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.