Teachers mass at meeting over stalled contract

By Stacie N. Galang
Staff Writer

November 26, 2008 05:00 am

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PEABODY — A 200-strong showing of teachers attended last night's School Committee meeting but left disappointed their contract was no closer to being resolved.

School Committee members met first in closed-door session to discuss contract negotiations, which delayed the start of the regularly scheduled meeting by 45 minutes.

Educators started to circle the interior of the Kiley School gym — the committee meeting site — shortly before board members entered the room. Many of the teachers displayed pins asking their contract be signed and sported union T-shirts.

But the group left abruptly, 10 minutes after Mayor Michael Bonfanti gaveled the meeting to order. Union leaders did not go to the microphone during the meeting's public participation.

Negotiators for both the School Committee and the teachers union shook hands on a contract Oct. 10, and union leaders brought the pact to its members for approval Oct. 29.

The agreement has since languished, awaiting the approval of School Committee members and then the mayor's signature.

Both sides have said one contract detail has held up the process, but have not elaborated.

Committee members breezed through the remainder of their agenda last night before reconvening a second time in closed session. They spent another 90 minutes behind closed doors before returning to make a statement.

School Committee member David McGeney, who has led negotiations for the schools, said he and fellow members understood teachers' frustration and anxiousness to get the contract resolved. Committee members felt the same way, he said.

"On behalf of the School Committee, we are anxious to get this contract behind us," the committee member said.

McGeney said the lone obstacle remained.

"We will move as swiftly and fairly as possible," he said.

McGeney said the board agreed to ask their attorney Dan Cocuzzo to set up a meeting with union negotiators as soon as possible.

"We do appreciate their patience," McGeney said of teachers. "We do respect and value them."