Andover teachers held illegal strike, state labor board rules

NEWSCENTER 5’S DAVID BIENICK IS LIVE IN LAWRENCE, DAVID? >> GOOD AFTERNOON, A TEACHERS PROTEST IS JUST GETTING UNDERWAY. YOU CAN SEE HIM SURROUNDING OFFICES, OTHERS HONKING THEIR HORNS. THEY ARE UPSET BECAUSE DISTRICTS ARE ALLOWING STUDENTS LEARN FROM HOME, BUT MAKING TEACHERS COME INTO SCHOOL. THE TEACHER SAY THAT IS NOT SAFE. WHEN TEACHERS IN ANDOVER SHOWED UP FOR THE FIRST DAY OF BACK-TO-SCHOOL TRAINING, MOST REFUSED TO GO INSIDE. AND INSTEAD STAYED OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND WORKED ON THEIR LAPTOPS. NOW, THE STATE LABOR RELATIONS BOARD HAS RULED THAT WAS A ONE-DAY ILLEGAL STRIKE. AND WARNED ANDOVER TEACHER TO CEASE AND DESIST FROM ENGAGING IN ANY STRIKE, WORK STOPPAGE, SLOWDOWN, OR OTHER WITHHOLDING OF SERVICES. >> I THINK ANDOVER MADE THE RIGHT DECISION. >> GOVERNOR BAKER SAYS THE STATE MADE A DEAL WITH TEACHERS UNIONS AND TO DELAY THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR SO DISTRICTS COULD BRING TEACHERS IN FOR ON-SITE TRAINING IF NECESSARY. >> THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT THOSE 10 DAYS WOULD BE SPENT CONDUCTING THE TRAINING NECESSARY. >> WE MADE NO SUCH DEALS WITH THE COMMISSIONER OR GOVERNOR. WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE RESPONSIBLE PLAN TO GET EVERYBODY BACK TO SCHOOL SAFELY. >> THE HEAD OF THE STATE TEACHERS UNION SAYS TEACHERS WANT STRONGER GUARANTEES THAT SCHOOLS WILL HAVE PROPER VENTILATION, ENOUGH PERSONAL PROTECTIV EQUIPMENT, AND RAPID TESTING TO CATCH POTENTIAL OUTBREAKS. THE NEXT LEGAL TEST WILL COME TOMORROW WHEN THE LABOR BOARD HEARS A CASE FROM SHARON. THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE HAS ALSO VOTED TO ORDER TEACHERS BACK IN THE CLASSROOM. >> IF WE NEED A LONGER CORD FOR SOMEBODY’S COMPUTER, WE DID NOT WANT TO WALK INTO SCHOOL ON SEPTEMBER 16 AND FIND THAT OUT. >> AS THE PROTEST CONTINUES, THE FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, SAYS THE LABOR BOARD MIGHT NOT HAVE THE FINAL SAY. THE UNION SAYS IT HAS NOW RULED OUT TAKING THE TEACHERS’ CASE TO COURT. LIVE IN LAWRENCE, DAVID BIENICK, WCVB NEWSCEN

Teachers in Andover who refused to enter school buildings for work last week engaged in an unlawful strike, the state labor relations board ruled Tuesday. Aug. 31 was supposed to be the first of 10 in-person professional development days for teachers before students start. The Andover School Committee filed a petition with the Department of Labor the following day, calling for a strike investigation. "These are unprecedented times, and we are not unsympathetic to the Union’s concerns over the health and safety implications of requiring its members to work inside school buildings or its desire to bargain to resolution with the School Committee over these issues before its members return to work inside school buildings," the board wrote. "However, the union cites to no legislation, permission, reasonable accommodation or bargained-for agreement that permitted its members without consequence, to unilaterally dictate where they perform their work."The board ordered union leaders and members to desist from engaging in any work stoppage.Union members who worked outside were unable to participate in professional development activities that could only be performed inside school buildings, such as Wi-Fi testing, wayfinding, classroom set up and tagging furniture, the board ruled. Three of the largest teachers unions in Massachusetts have told members not to enter school buildings until they are proven to be safe.

ANDOVER, Mass. —

Teachers in Andover who refused to enter school buildings for work last week engaged in an unlawful strike, the state labor relations board ruled Tuesday.

Aug. 31 was supposed to be the first of 10 in-person professional development days for teachers before students start. The Andover School Committee filed a petition with the Department of Labor the following day, calling for a strike investigation.

"These are unprecedented times, and we are not unsympathetic to the Union’s concerns over the health and safety implications of requiring its members to work inside school buildings or its desire to bargain to resolution with the School Committee over these issues before its members return to work inside school buildings," the board wrote. "However, the union cites to no legislation, permission, reasonable accommodation or bargained-for agreement that permitted its members without consequence, to unilaterally dictate where they perform their work."

The board ordered union leaders and members to desist from engaging in any work stoppage.

Union members who worked outside were unable to participate in professional development activities that could only be performed inside school buildings, such as Wi-Fi testing, wayfinding, classroom set up and tagging furniture, the board ruled.

Three of the largest teachers unions in Massachusetts have told members not to enter school buildings until they are proven to be safe.

Andover teachers held illegal strike, state labor board rules

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