K-8 Concord Teacher Contract Talks Near 1-Year Mark: Report

CONCORD, MA—Negotiations between Concord's K-8 teachers and the School Committee began on Mar. 23, 2015, and a deal has not yet been reached.

According to a report by Wicked Local Concord, the 14th bargaining session between the Concord Teacher's Association and the School Committee did not produce an agreement. Differences in wages, early-release days and technology appear to be holding things up.

Reports Henry Schwan, who broke the story on Wicked Local Concord's website reports:

The CTA’s latest salary proposal includes two contracts -- a one-year contract retroactive to July 1, 2015 and ending on June 30, 2016, followed by a new three-year contract.

CTA President Merrie Najimy said the two contracts give K-8 teachers equal pay with teachers at Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS).

“Two contracts is not unprecedented,” School Committee bargaining team member Kathi Snook said. “We’re happy to consider it. It seems to make sense to us.”

On the issue of early-release days, the two sides disagree on the number to be directed by school principals. The school committee bargaining team said nine should fall under the direction of a principal, while the CTA is calling for six.

“They’re still not accepting that we need appropriate influence over our time,” Najimy said about the difference on principal-directed early-release days.

Data meetings are another area the two sides have not resolved. The CTA wants those meetings to happen outside of school hours, because it feelsl they cut into teaching time. Najimy said each kindergarten teacher at Willard Elementary School uploaded 936 pieces of data annually, and if all K-5 teachers are taken into account, the number of uploads reaches into the tens of thousands.

“We’ve received no answer about who is looking at this data, how it makes teachers better and how it makes students better,” Najimy said.

To view Schwan's full report, click here.