Department of Labor Relations rules in favor of Gloucester teachers

The Department of Labor Relations has ruled in favor of the Gloucester Teachers’ Association, after they filed an Unfair Labor Practice complaint against the School Committee. 

Last spring, in the midst of Gloucester educators’ contract negotiations which are still ongoing today, Gloucester educators hung up signs meant to show solidarity with their peers.

In April, Superintendent Ben Lummis ordered all of the signs taken down, as he claimed it was an act of insubordination by Gloucester educators, union officials said.  

In hopes of keeping these signs up, the GTA sent the superintendent a Cease and Desist order, and later filed an Unfair Labor Practice complaint with the Department of Labor Relations. 

“Based on information presented at the investigation, I find probable cause to believe that violations of the Law have occurred,” Department of Labor Relations Investigator Liora Klepper wrote in her findings issued on October 15th.

The GTA views this as a restoration of power for the union, as educators are again able to display signs that read “Safe Schools Now”, “Fully Fund Our Schools”, and “Fair Contract Now.”

“Any time one of your rights is violated it takes away a little bit of your power so it has restored some of our power,” GTA President Rachel Rex said. “Teachers are empowered now to put their signs back and it reinvigorates our passion to continue to fight for students and staff in public education.”