Gloucester educators are still without a contract on day 14 of their strike, as the School Committee and Union of Gloucester Educators have yet to agree on a wage proposal. Paraprofessional wages continue to be a sticking point.
“Our union will not ratify a contract without living wages for our paraprofessionals,” UGE President Rachel Rex said. “We will not go back to school until our lowest paid para makes $33,000.”
The School Committee also presented a new wage proposal last night, after School Committee Chair Kathy Clancy called the union’s proposal “not effective or realistic solutions” in the committee’s statement to families.
“In our salary proposal for teachers, teachers with masters and above would see a salary increase of $13,500 to $29,000,” School Committee member Bill Melvin said in a video statement last night. “In our salary proposal to paraprofessionals, educators would see an increase of between 39.94% to 62.73%. That equates to $10,446 to $14,109 over five years.”
Additionally, the mayor offered one time payments of $2,000 to current paraprofessionals for the fiscal year 2027.
“Our proposal will only cost the city $362,189.62 over the next four years, to pay paraprofessionals a living wage,” bargaining team member Rich Francis said in a video statement last night. “Gloucester has not raised its beach parking passes for nonresidents in nearly 20 years…if the mayor raised beach parking by $5, the city has the potential of raising nearly $3 million.”
Although wages continue to be a sticking point, both parties have reached at least 9 tentative agreements throughout the duration of the strike, on issues such as paid parental leave, and student behavioral support.
As the strike continues, the union faces growing fines, despite running out of money last week.
“Though the fines are to be coercive and not punitive, we still believe in this righteous fight and we will find a path forward to settle those fines,” Rex said.
Last night, the committee canceled school for the ninth day, meaning students will now have to make up days during either February or April break each day the strike continues.
“I am so sorry for your children,” Superintendent Ben Lummis said in an email to parents. “I am so sorry for our families. You all deserve so much better than this…the time to come together is now.”
According to the union, Lummis called off school before the UGE finished presenting a counterproposal last night.
“Bill Melvin and Amy Pasquarello did not even know the superintendent had canceled schools while we were sitting in that very meeting,” Rex said.
Union members were frustrated with the cancellation, voicing their anger during last night’s press conference.
“We had talked about rebuilding trust, which was a key thing that we thought was very important as the teachers go back into schools,” bargaining team member Rich Francis said. “At 7:45, that trust got ripped apart again. This continues to happen…we want to rebuild trust, and that trust is going to be very difficult to get back if Superintendent Lummis continues to play these games with the people of this city.”
Despite the rising tension, both sides have made comments to suggest that a contract could be reached by the end of the week. Gloucester families will be alerted everyday by 8:00 p.m. with community updates.
