Let’s be Realistic about the Teachers’ Union Contract Negotiations
There was a post this week on the Weston Community group Facebook page regarding the teacher contract negotiations that must be addressed with facts to straighten out the situation for Weston residents and support the School Committee as it strives to secure a reasonable contract renewal.
The chart was posted on behalf of the Weston Education Association (the local teachers’ union), summarizing the terms they are seeking in the current contract negotiations, including base salary increases of 17.25% over three years. The union negotiators do not seem to realize that with Weston teachers’ total compensation already the highest in the state, and total per-pupil expenditures already 30% higher than comparable affluent school districts – despite performance metrics roughly in line with these similar towns – Weston voters are unlikely to support anything close to their demands, as the School Committee already understands.
We like to think that the unreasonable union demands do not come from our own Weston teachers, but rather from the state teachers’ union who is negotiating on their behalf, with little practical understanding of our town. These contract negotiations are closed and confidential, but there are several indicators in the public domain of the sources of the confrontational tone in the negotiations.
The Weston Education Association (WEA) is a chapter of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Association (MTA), the labor union that is steering the negotiations between Weston Teachers and the Weston Public Schools, represented by the School Committee.
The MTA has shown itself to be extremely confrontational and aggressive in other towns – notably Malden and Haverhill – that have been through tough contract negotiations this year, involving extraordinary demands for salary increases, changes to work rules, and strike threats (even though it is illegal for teachers to strike in Massachusetts).
More importantly, the MTA seems to be willing to be extreme without regard for the potential consequential damage to the relationships between local teachers and school administrators, because when the contract is finalized they disappear for the three-year term, leaving the teachers, administrators, students and their families to pick up the pieces.
These are not the marks of good faith negotiations on the part of the teachers’ union. No doubt, the MTA will be trying to position all of this as “rich Weston not supporting poor teachers.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is:
We all respect and value our teachers, and think of the relationship as a partnership.
Teacher salaries in Weston have risen 34% percent over the last ten years, nearly twice the rate of inflation over the same period.
Teachers’ salaries in Weston are approximately 5% higher than the average of six comparable school districts (25% higher than the state average), benefits are 64% higher, and healthcare benefits in particular are 72% higher. As such, our teachers’ total compensation is already higher than any other district in the state on a comparable basis.
At the same time, Weston teachers are required to teach fewer classes and have more “release time” (further reductions in teaching obligations for administrative activities) than in other districts, so we require more teachers, aides, and other support positions to conduct our schools.
All of the above contribute to the fact that the cost of education in Weston – in terms of Per Pupil Expenditures – is 30% higher than the average of our comparable school districts, because over 80% of total cost is people cost. As we know, our academic outcomes are not materially different from those in these other districts despite the higher price tag. This higher Weston spending on education, in turn, is a significant cause of our 34% higher (for the average household, 26% per capita) property taxes than in these comparable towns, since schools account for about 60% of total town spending.
The School Administration and the School Committee seem to understand the facts. Weston’s salary grid is one of the highest in the state, exceeded on a comparable basis by only Concord-Carlisle, which provides significantly lower healthcare benefits to compensate (50% copay versus Weston at about 20%).
Other compensation elements such as professional development reimbursement, stipends, and longevity payments are equally generous, and Weston teachers are required to teach fewer classes than in comparable districts.
With the School Committee’s proposed salary increases of 5.75%, Weston would still be among the most generous in teacher compensation.
All but our highest paid teachers are still getting so-called “steps and lanes increases” (professional development premiums) that average 4.25% PER YEAR, on top of contractual salary increases, totaling an additional 13% over the three-year contract term.
The compensation landscape in Weston makes it an attractive place for teachers to work, and that’s why our teacher attrition rate is so low and the number of applicants for district openings is so high. We’re not losing qualified teachers given our level of compensation.
The School Committee understands that Weston taxpayer support for the town’s already outsized School Budget is waning, and that giving in to the teachers’ union demands for even higher salaries (for even less teaching, as per the demanded new work rules) is unlikely to be approved by voters. For perspective, until about five years ago, Weston’s proposed Town and School budgets were routinely approved nearly unanimously at the May Annual Town Meeting. Recently, the approval vote has been declining, and in 2022 dropped to only 57% in favor. If unreasonable teachers’ union demands are agreed by the School Committee and Town Meeting voters then vote down the resulting higher budget, it could have unintended negative consequences for school curriculum and programs. Unrestrained School spending growth is simply unrealistic.
We strongly urge the School Committee to hold a firm line in the current negotiations, and encourage you to let them know that you feel the same way. Your support will be critical in order to reach the outcomes that we – and know the School Committee – believe are fair and equitable. You can express your support by visiting the School Committee Facebook page and Instagram, and indicating your support for their recent Post about the negotiations.