Boston Teachers Union Files Labor Charges Against City

Says School Department has engaged in a pattern of conduct to block mediation process

August 27, 2012 

Lawyers for the Boston Teachers Union filed unfair labor practice charges against the Boston School Department Friday with the Department of Labor Relations. The charges request that the Department of Labor Relations immediately force the School Department back to the mediation process in order to reach a settlement in the ongoing contract negotiations.

Citing numerous violations including regression bargaining, refusals to meet face-to-face, repeated misinformation given to the assigned mediator and refusing to acknowledge tentative agreements, the BTU and its lawyers are seeking an order to restore the mediation process and require the School Department to mediate in good faith.

“The Boston Teachers Union is committed to a successful mediation process.  Unfortunately, the School Department has continually refused to negotiate in good faith and has engaged in what we consider ‘regression bargaining’.  If the School Department is serious about trying to finalize a contract, then they should come back to the table with real proposals and end their media campaign of villainizing the hard working teachers within the Boston Public Schools,” said Richard Stutman.

“Instead of taking part in the mediation process with a good faith effort, the School Department has engaged in a continuous campaign of misinformation within the media.  They have made no effort whatsoever to find common ground and have failed to give any substantive counter-proposals aside from an ‘our way or no way’ attitude” added Stutman.