Quincy talks produce no gains

QUINCY -- Striking Quincy teachers said yesterday that they would disobey a state order to return to work after talks with city and school officials made little headway in breaking the stalemate over a new contract.

Barring a last-minute deal, the first teachers' strike in Massachusetts in over a decade will force school officials to cancel a second day of classes at the district's 19 schools. The strike violates a state law that prohibits teachers from walking off the job.

Teachers are scheduled to meet this morning to discuss whether to continue their holdout or return to class tomorrow.

The teachers union, the 890-member Quincy Education Association , voted overwhelmingly Thursday to walk out, and teachers did not report for work Friday.

The strike, the first by teachers in the state since 1995, has stirred charged emotions on both sides, and among parents of the district's 9,000 students.

Teachers and School Committee members met with a mediator for six hours yesterday in an attempt to resolve the impasse, which began 18 months ago and centers on health benefits. But representatives from the two bargaining teams said the sides remained far apart.

"We went backward," said Elaine Dwyer , vice chairwoman of the School Committee, referring to talks held on Saturday. "We didn't make any progress at all."

Hundreds of teachers and their supporters rallied yesterday at Pageant Field in a show of solidarity against pressure to return to the classrooms. Many teachers said the contract proposal would make it hard for them to stay in the profession.

"I can't be making the same or less money in 2010 as I do now," said David Buckley , 38, a middle school music teacher.

Anne Wass , president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, addressed the crowd of teachers and praised their resolve.

"The contract you are seeking is just and fair," she said. "You are fighting for the long-term interests of your students and your community."

On Friday, the state's Labor Relations Commission , responding to the School Committee's request for an investigation, ruled that the strike was illegal and ordered teachers to return to work immediately.

Linda Monaco , a sixth-grade reading teacher at Sterling Middle School , said the strike will probably continue until city representatives make major concessions.

"We're hopeful there is some movement on the city's part about the health benefits," she said. "We want to be back in the classroom, but teachers are dedicated to getting a fair contract."

Teachers have been working without a contract since August 2006 , and began picketing in protest before and after school about two months ago.

The strike has plunged the end of the school year into uncertainty. Students' final exams are on hold, and parents are scrambling to reschedule summer vacations.

The school year was slated to end June 15, but will continue until students have attended the state-mandated 180 days. The district would need the state's permission to extend the school year beyond June 30. Seniors graduated last week.

City leaders want to shift some health insurance costs to teachers, who say the higher premiums would wipe out proposed wage hikes. The issue has been the primary sticking point in nearly 30 negotiating sessions in the past 15 months.

City and school officials propose raising teacher salaries by 13 percent over four years but want employees to assume 20 percent, rather than 10 percent, of their health coverage. Teachers want the health insurance increase to be phased in over the next five years so it does not completely offset their raises.

Dwyer said many communities have negotiated similar shifts in health insurance costs to address surging premiums. Healthcare costs for city and school employees have doubled in five years, according to city officials.

"If we don't shift more to the employees' side, the residents of Quincy will be forced to pay higher taxes, or there will be major layoffs," Dwyer said. "There has to be something done to make up for the huge increase in healthcare costs."

Fiona Canavan , co-president of the citywide Parent Teacher Organization, said that about 80 percent of parents continue to support the teachers.

"Most people feel they aren't paid enough as it is," she said.

Glenn Koocher , executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, said that while the strike is highly unusual, the tug-of-war around health costs is nearly universal in cash-strapped communities.

"It's a major issue in nearly every school district," he said.

Peter Schworm can be reached at schworm@globe.com.