Massachusetts Teachers Fight for Right to Strike in Contract Battle – Proposed Bill Aims to Grant Public Employees their Strongest Bargaining Tool
Teachers in Massachusetts are locked in a contract battle with Cambridge Public Schools, but they lack a powerful weapon that is available to almost every other labor union: the right to strike. However, a proposed bill co-sponsored by Massachusetts State Reps. Mike L. Connolly and Erika Uyterhoeven seeks to change that.
H.1845, presented by Connolly and Uyterhoeven, aims to amend state law to guarantee the right to strike for specific public employees, including teachers. Currently, public employees in Massachusetts are not allowed to strike. The proposed bill, along with a corresponding bill in the Massachusetts Senate (S.1217), would grant teachers and other public employees the ability to withhold their services as a bargaining tactic after six months of negotiation.
Connolly, who represents parts of Cambridge and Somerville, believes that having the right to organize and strike is a fundamental workplace right. He stated in an interview, I think it’s unfortunate that we have this prohibition that surely makes it illegal for public sector employees to exercise that right to strike, and so our legislation would address that.
On Tuesday, the bill was presented before the Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, where advocates testified in favor of its provisions. Max Page, the president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, argued that the right to strike would result in fewer strikes overall. He emphasized that school committees and mayors would know that the clock is ticking as soon as bargaining begins, encouraging them to negotiate in good faith.
Uyterhoeven, who also testified at the hearing, believes that the right to strike is a crucial tool for negotiating fair contracts and that its absence leads to prolonged contract disputes involving mediators and lawyers. She said in an interview, I mean, we have all these issues that are left unresolved and dried up for so long — everyone in the community deserves better than that.
While striking is currently illegal for teachers in Massachusetts, many have previously gone on strike during contentious contract negotiations. Justin Brown, the president of the Brookline Educators Union, spoke about the union’s decision to strike when the school committee stonewalled negotiations. He expressed that the prohibition on striking puts unions at a disadvantage and allows the other side to prolong the process.
Chrissy Lynch, the president of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, believes that while striking is not ideal, it is a necessary bargaining tool for educators across the state. She expressed the importance of ensuring that educators have every available tool to secure the best contracts possible.
As the bill progresses through the State House, Cambridge educators are preparing to escalate their negotiation tactics with the Cambridge Public School Committee. After nearly two months without a contract and negotiations now in their second year, the Cambridge Educators Association has organized rallies, weekly work-to-contract demonstrations, and letter-writing campaigns.
The proposed legislation aims to address the current prohibition on striking for public employees in Massachusetts. While the right to strike remains a subject of debate, teachers and advocates argue that it is essential for obtaining fair contracts and resolving prolonged disputes. The outcome of the bill and its potential impact on labor negotiations in the state remain to be seen.
