NSLC November Newsletter
Educators on Strike!
As many of you know, educators in Beverly, Gloucester, and Marblehead have been on strike for several weeks now after reaching an impasse in their respective contract negotiations. Educators in Gloucester just ended their two week strike after signing a tentative agreement on the 22nd.The teachers are fighting for expanded access to paid medical leave (which sits lower for educators than guaranteed paid leave for private sector workers), adequate school safety, manageable classroom sizes, and livable wages. The paraprofessionals in Beverly, for instance, only make a starting wage of around $20,000 per year.
But the teachers aren't just striking for wages and working conditions - they're also striking for the basic respect that they deserve. Many teachers feel city officials are not bargaining with the union in good faith, that city officials would rather break the unions than collaborate to reach a fair deal. Mediators have already been called in to several cities to manage the negotiations. But even as the unions are facing increasingly large fines from the courts over their strikes, the teacher's remain steadfast in their demands.
Recently, the NSLC released a statement condemning the School Committee Chairperson in Marblehead for failing to negotiate with the union and failing the working class families of the town. That statement can be found here. We've also called on Beverly Mayor Cahill and School Committee Chairperson Abell to remain at the table and negotiate with the union, which is now more important than ever considering a state labor board ruled that the city was under no legal obligation to negotiate with the union while the strike is active. Our statement on the Beverly Mayor can be found here. Impressively, the Beverly teachers have also initiated a recall of Mayor Cahill, which can be read about here.
There are several ways that we can support the teachers as they continue their strikes. The first is to attend their rallies and picket lines. You can check the union pages for Beverly and Marblehead to see their updated schedules for pickets and rallies. Beverly teachers are also asking for letters of support in their effort for a community petition of no confidence in Mayor Cahill, the Beverly School Committee, and Superintendent Suzanne Charochak. You can use this link to send a letter.
You can also support by donating to the strike fund for each union:
We also want to highlight a speech given by NSLC member, Beverly Parent, and CWA member Amy Banelis at a recent rally for Beverly teachers.
"I have a message for Mayor Cahill and the School Committee: we aren't just parents, but we are voters too! Do the right thing and meet the very reasonable demands of the Beverly Teachers Association. Because we are all united, and we aren't going anywhere!"
We couldn't agree more with Amy. Solidarity with striking teachers everywhere!
Welcome Brother Villanuci
We want to welcome the newest delegate to the North Shore Labor Council Joe Villanucci, a member of UFCW 1445 and shop steward at Stop & Shop. UFCW 1445 has sent a new delegate to the council to be sworn in for the last 3 meetings we've had, and we couldn't be happier! It's members like Joe, along with the commitment from UFCW 1445, that make our labor council special. Welcome brother Villanucci!
MMEU Contract Fight
This past week the Marblehead Municipal Employees Union held a rally outside Abbot Hall to protest their treatment from the town Select Board throughout their contract negotiations. The rally was supported by the Marblehead Education Association and other town unions. Prior to the Select Board meeting that same night a public grievance hearing was scheduled for a town worker who was misclassified to a lower pay rate. Moments before the grievance hearing was set to begin, Terri Tauro, MMEU President and NSLC Executive Board member, announced to the crowd that the union and town officials reached a full settlement on the grievance. You can read more about the rally here.
MMEU is still in negotiations and hasn't reached a fair deal. We'll continue to update on ways to support.
Solidarity With Starbucks Workers United
Earlier this month members of the North Shore Labor Council, along with Salem City Councilor Alice Merkyl, passed out flyers in support of the Starbucks Workers United union drive. There are now over 500 Starbucks locations that have unionized, yet the company has done everything they can to delay negotiating a fair contract. NSLC fully supports the Starbucks workers and we'll continue to support however we can!
Women's Committee Update
Recently the NSLC Women's Committee has joined a campaign led by the Lynn Worker's Center to support women that were unjustly fired from their jobs. Our first action was delivering a letter to management demanding that a woman fired for reporting sexual harassment be reinstated to her job. This campaign is ongoing, but we'll continue supporting women everywhere! If you'd like to get involved with the women's committee, message us at northshorelaborcouncil@gmail.com.
Election Update
NSLC wants to congratulate Eileen Duff and Eunice Zeigler for winning their campaigns for Register of Deeds and Governor's Council respectively. We endorsed both candidates because we believe that they'll be champions of labor in these positions, and we're sure they'll continue to champion the movement. Congratulations!
We also want to shout out Sean Reid, the incoming state representative for the 11th Essex district. Congrats on the victory! And a special thanks to outgoing Rep. Pete Capano, who's been a fantastic friend to the NSLC and the labor movement. Our council couldn't be more grateful for everything you've done.
Additionally, thank you to everyone that made our "Yes on 2" ballot campaign a success! Question 2 passed with nearly 60% of Massachusetts residents voting to remove MCAS as a graduation requirement for students. This has made a tangible difference in the lives of many people held back by high-stakes testing, and we're incredibly grateful for all of our members that canvassed and phonebanked around this issue!
Welcoming Our Haitian Neighbors
NSLC is proud to announce that we're co-sponsoring an event with the New Lynn Coalition to stand in solidarity with out Haitian neighbors in Lynn. Especially given the surge in racist sentiment against Haitians, now more than ever is the time to build connections and understanding in our communities. We highly encourage everyone to attend if you're able.
