Negotiations resume between Manchester teachers union, school board

MANCHESTER, NH  — A statement issued jointly on behalf of the Manchester Education Association and the Board of School Committee regarding the status of contract negotiations was released July 26, as follows:

Negotiations between the Manchester Education Association and the Board of School Committee resumed after an eight week hiatus today.  In a joint statement issued by association president Sue Ellen Hannan and negotiations chairman Rich Girard, the two said both sides were eager to resume talks.Hannan said she is looking forward to the opportunity to discuss contractual issues with the District once again. “With the start of school pending, educators and the community want to know that the Association and the District are working together toward a successor agreement.”  She also expressed how important maintaining professional pay and respect for educators is as their working conditions are the students’ learning conditions.Girard welcomed the association back to the table, saying that several meetings had been scheduled.  “We’re glad the association has returned to the table and are pleased with the tone and direction of today’s session.  We are confident that we will reach an agreement that respects our taxpayers and staff and improves the district’s ability to operate. The better we do, the better things will be for the kids in our classrooms.”Four meetings have been scheduled over the next several weeks.  Hannan invited Girard to meet regarding the resumption of negotiations last week.  Following that meeting on July 17, the first round of talks was scheduled for Thursday, July 26th.

Hannan posted the following commentary on the MEA website, in an undated update, prior to talks resuming, in which she further discusses the plan for teachers to “work to contract” for as long as they do not have a new contract, once they return to work on Aug. 31 in anticipation of the new school year, which resumes Sept. 10:

“You have received a communication from us regarding the plan for next year. We will work to the contract. This is a proven method to bring more clarity to what we do and what we have to do it with. It is often more difficult for us than for anybody else in this type of movement, but its effect is big. I also understand that your conscience tells you to do otherwise. I think any educator would feel this way. The argument is that this is supposed to be about the students. Yes, I do feel that is an accurate statement, but isn’t it about us too? Isn’t it about time we say it is about us too? We are educators who have families, pets, and community activities like the rest of the community. We need to be able to support our lives, along with supporting the lives of our students and their families.You all know a teacher who is on the steps in our salary schedule. Do you realize that this will be the 4th time in 6 years they have had their steps frozen? They will have to teach 19 years in Manchester to reach the top of the scale. They will have lost upwards of $135,000 in salary by then, not including the loss from interest that could have been gained. They will have lost being on the top step for three years prior to retiring, making their retirement lower than those already at the top step. We are fighting for those taking the place of those who are ready to retire in the next 10 years. We are fighting for their lives and their careers, their rights and working conditions. We are fighting for educators to have the respect they deserve. This is not negative- what is negative is the way educators will be treated later, and making your family suffer. Our campaign is a positive one. We want to give the public a true idea about who is helping their child become a productive adult.” – Sue Ellen Hannan

You can read through the most recent MEA/BOSC Agreement, which expired June 30, 2018, below: