National Education Association President Becky Pringle echoed messages from Massachusetts Teachers Association leaders that the striking Newton teachers were fighting a larger fight for education. The NEA – the nation’s largest labor union – joined other unions, including The Teamsters and AFL-CIO — in endorsing the Newton Teachers Association (NTA)…
Posts published in “News”
School Committee Chair questions what the strike is really about. On January 30, the School Committee presented a revised proposal to the Newton Teachers Association (NTA), and the NTA said that it would respond with its own revised proposal at noon on January 31. The Teachers Strike continues, and schools…
As Newton entered Day 9 of the Newton Public Schools’ (NPS) teachers’ strike, 15 after-school programs that parents have already paid for remain shuttered. Each elementary school hosts a nonprofit after-school program “for the enrichment and enjoyment of children between 5-12 years of age,” according to NPS. After the strike…
Fig City News recently spoke with David Helfman, a Newton resident with significant experience in labor strike negotiations, advising unions on collective bargaining packages, as well as serving as a trustee on pension funds. The notes from this discussion are condensed for this article. FCN: You have a background serving on…
Although many dogs run off-leash in Edmands Park (aka Cabot Woods), their owners risk getting a warning or a fine for allowing them to do so. However, a local group is working to change the designation of this wooded area, so pets can romp free without violating the rules. Cabot…
On January 29, Lital Asher-Dotan, a Newton parent of three Newton Public Schools students, filed with the Middlesex Superior Court an Emergency Motion to Intervene in the case of the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board v. Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and Michael J. Zilles. It asks the court to compel the…
Newton’s Congressional Representative, Jake Auchincloss, issued this statement about the Newton Teachers Strike on January 29: Students should be in school. Missing seven school days – and counting – is disruptive and unfair to our children, and their parents. The messages I’m receiving from families facing another uncertain week are…
On January 26 at 10AM, supporters of the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) gathered at City Hall on the sixth day of the Teachers Strike for the Newton Students Speak Out rally, an event organized by students to openly support the NTA. Although it was promoted as a student rally, about…
Lion dancers leapt in the air and playfully lunged at the crowd during Wu An Martial Arts’ energetic performance on Sunday, January 28, at the New Art Center as part of Newton’s annual WinterFEST. Sponsored by Newton Community Pride — a “nonprofit organization building community through free arts and culture…
On January 28, the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) presented a proposal, the School Committee presented a counterproposal, and in the evening the NTA presented its second proposal of the day. Each party, through its own press conference, expressed frustration, exasperation, and a belief that the other side was not bargaining…
On the morning of January 28, the School Committee and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller each published detailed Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents responding to questions about the Teachers Strike and City finances. NPS and SC Frequently Asked Questions, issued by the School Committee, addresses 21 questions in a Google Doc that…
Approximately 500 women, men, children, and dogs stood on a line along Lincoln Street in Newton Highlands on January 27 to sample a wide variety of soup offered by local restaurants and served by Newton City Councilors. In its third year, the WinterFEST Soup Social is a highly successful collaboration…