North Andover Teaching Assistants Face New School Year With Expiring Deal

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The North Andover School Committee and North Andover Education Association remain at odds over a new contract for the district's teaching assistants, with the current deal set to expire on Monday.

North Andover School Committee Chair David Brown released a statement on Tuesday, saying that the School Committee "is committed to negotiating a successor agreement that reflects the importance of their work while also meeting our responsibility to students, families, employees, and taxpayers."

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Brown said the sides met on Monday and exchanged what negotiation ground rules called for as "final proposals."

"The work ahead is therefore clear: negotiating those proposals, identifying areas of agreement and compromise, and working toward a complete successor agreement," he said.

He said both sides have proposals addressing working conditions, scheduling, professional learning, safety, and other provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.

NAEA President Juliette Darmon responded to Brown's statement, noting that while teaching assistants will work under the expiring deal when schools reopen, they will not receive any cost-of-living wage increases or new benefits until a successor deal is reached.

"What is also important to note is that a full-time TA in NA currently makes between $28,000 and $48,000, depending on their experience level," she said.

She also countered Brown's assertion that the School Committee had proposed negotiating throughout the summer ahead of the Aug. 24 bargaining session.

"August 24th is the 1st time the union team saw in writing the proposals from administration and school committee," she said. "The union side had all their proposals in writing at the 1st meeting in March. The SC has yet to bring forward a salary proposal.

"MTA representatives could not meet over the summer because we all take vacation at different times, visit family overseas, work second jobs," she said.

Brown said the School Committee wants to make clear to families that the teaching assistants are "valued members of the North Andover Public Schools community" and "are an integral part of our schools.

We are prepared to continue meeting and negotiating toward an agreement that recognizes the contributions of our teaching assistants, supports our students and schools, and is responsible and sustainable for the North Andover community," he said.