Education Support Professionals Negotiations
October 28, 2024 - Update
Dear Gloucester Public Schools Families,
We want to provide you with a brief update on last week’s mediation session with the Gloucester Association of Educational Paraprofessionals (GAEP) and touch base on tomorrow’s negotiation session with the Gloucester Teachers Association (GTA).
We entered our tenth mediation session on October 22nd with a competitive pay package for our district’s paraprofessionals that goes beyond the wages neighboring districts provide. We increased our previous wage proposal, bringing our current salary offer to what equates to $29 per hour for the highest-paid GAEP staff starting in 2026. The district would do this by increasing pay for all paraprofessionals rapidly over the course of fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
Throughout the past ten months of mediation, we have listened to GAEP member concerns and offered highly competitive pay proposals. Our proposal from last week would set Gloucester paraprofessional pay above comparable districts such as Rockport, Salem, Peabody, and Leominster and on par with Manchester-Essex and Hamilton-Wenham. However, GAEP further increased its wage requests beyond its previous proposal, making it harder to find a compromise.
We deeply value the passion, dedication, and purpose GAEP members bring to Gloucester Public Schools. Paraprofessionals are paramount to fostering a sense of belonging among our students and helping them become successful, engaged, life-long learners.
We continue to work on this issue. The sooner we can come to an agreement with our paraprofessionals, the better for our students, paraprofessionals, and our community.
Finally, please keep your eyes out for another update set to come out shortly after our negotiation session with the Gloucester Teachers Association tomorrow night, where we plan to walk through a new wage proposal. The School Committee remains deeply focused on negotiating a new contract with the GTA as soon as possible, and will keep you informed throughout the negotiation process.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Clancy
Chairperson
Gloucester School Committee
Update on Mediation Process with the Gloucester Association of Education Paraprofessionals (GAEP)
The Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations decided on November 14, 2023 that the School Committee and Gloucester Paraprofessionals should end direct negotiations and enter mediation. The DLR agreed with the School Committee that negotiations had reached an impasse and both parties needed the assistance of a DLR mediator to make further progress.
The School Committee and GAEP negotiations teams have been in mediation since January 2024. There have been 9 mediation sessions. Since June 2024 mediation has been on hold as the DLR decided whether or not mediations had gone far enough and should end. The DLR recently directed the two sides to have another mediation session. This mediation session is scheduled for October 22.
What is Mediation?
During mediation, the two negotiations teams do not meet in face to face. Instead, the mediator travels between the two teams in an effort to get them to adjust their proposals, offer counter proposals and come to resolution.
Mediation is a confidential process and the School Committee has not been allowed to provide public updates on the proposals shared through the mediation process since it started in January.
Timeline of Mediation -
November 14, 2023 - Department of Labor Relations agrees with Gloucester School Committee and declares negotiations are at an impasse.
January 11, 2024 - First mediation session
January 24, 2024 - Second mediation session
February 15, 2024 - Third mediation session
March 6, 2024 - Fourth mediation session
March 21, 2024 - Fifth mediation session
April 4, 2024 - Sixth mediation session
April 11, 2024 - Seventh mediation session
April 25, 2024 - Eighth mediation session
May 30, 2024 - Ninth mediation session
June 2024 - DLR mediator requests submission from each side about whether or not mediation should be concluded and should move to "Fact Finding" stage.
June - September 2024 - Both sides are in a holding pattern because DLR has not decided whether mediation should continue or not
September 20, 2024 - DLR responds to both parties informing them to schedule one more mediation session.
October 22, 2024 - 10th mediation session scheduled.
Gloucester School Committee Proposes further Increases to ESP Salaries - January 24, 2024
The School Committee’s January 24 proposal raises salaries for every current Gloucester ESP higher than the Committee’s previous proposal. The Committee has now proposed to raise salaries of current ESP’s from between 27% and 42%. This proposal raises the top salary for the final year of the contract to $33,305 (from $31,655 in the previous proposal). And it increases annual salaries of existing employees by between $7,150 to $9,850. This increase was achieved through salary design that adjusts salaries for future hires in their first two years in the district.
During Public Comment at the January 24 School Committee meeting, it became clear that there was some confusion on the part of the GAEP negotiating team about the Committee's proposal The School Committee did not, in fact, lower our proposal. In fact, we increased salaries for all existing employees.
Other highlights of the updated wage proposal include:
Further increases the hourly wage and salary for all current GAEP employees beyond the large increase already proposed by the School Committee.
Increases wages for existing employees between 27% and 42%. (In the last proposal increases for existing employees ranged from 21% to 35%).
Raises the top salary for the final year of the contract to $33,305 (from $31,655 in the previous proposal).
In the final year of the contract, the annual salary for ESPs on the highest step is $1,650 more than in the School Committee’s previous proposal.
Everyone who was on step 8 or above in 2022-23 will be at the highest step and earning $33,305 during this contract.
The top salary will be $33,305. (In the previous proposal it was $31,655.)
Creates a salary table with only 6 steps so employees can reach the highest pay scale in 6 years instead of 10. In two contracts we have gone from 14 steps to 6 steps.
Increases starting salary from $22,000 to $24,500 during the contract.
Accepts GAEP longevity proposal.
To review the School Committee's updated salary proposal, click here.
To review the GAEP package proposal from January 24, click here.
___________________________
Gloucester School Committee Statement on ESP Negotiations - September 15, 2023
At the September 14th negotiation session, the Gloucester School Committee offered a historic wage increase for the Gloucester Public School Educational Support Paraprofessionals (ESPs). This wage proposal far exceeds any increase that has ever been negotiated by Gloucester Association of Educational Paraprofessionals (GAEP) and prior School Committees.
The School Committee’s final proposal:
Increases wages for current paraprofessionals between 21% and 35% over three years.
Increases annual wages of existing employees by $5,500 to $8,200 for every member over the contract.
The proposed wages are commensurate with job responsibilities and required qualifications. Further, this proposal is in line both with neighboring and comparable districts. In comparison, other city employees whose contracts have been negotiated over the past year have received average raises of 3% each year.
Thursday evening’s proposal was made possible by working with the Verga administration. In August, after extensive executive session discussions and based on additional funding that Mayor Verga guaranteed for this purpose, the School Committee’s September 14 wage proposal increased $120,000.
During these contract negotiations, there has been much talk about a “living wage” as defined by the MIT Living Wage calculator. The School Committee’s proposal ensures that all paraprofessionals will be earning at or above a living hourly wage in the next year. Paraprofessionals work 6.5 hours per day and have a 183 day work year. If paraprofessionals had a 40-hour work week and a 12-month work year, annual salaries would be between $48,700 and $55,000. Simply put, the School Committee’s proposal achieves the goal of a living hourly wage.
This historic wage proposal was rejected by GAEP, and countered with another fiscally unrealistic proposal. After nearly six months of negotiations and due to the significant difference between the group’s current financial proposals, the School Committee indicated its belief that the parties are at an impasse and that mediation is necessary. When two parties remain far apart after productive long-term negotiations, mediation can help resolve the last outstanding issues and come to an agreement. The School Committee believes that mediation by a neutral party is the most productive way forward from here.
The School Committee is disappointed that discussions have not resulted in a settlement. The School Committee’s salary proposal combined with the improvements to support paraprofessionals’ education and training put forth are unprecedented. The wage proposal is more than competitive with other districts, it provides a living hourly wage, and it is fiscally prudent given the fiscal uncertainties the Commonwealth and the city are likely to face in the coming years.
To view the School Committee’s full salary proposal from September 14 please access the links below:
Upcoming Mediation Sessions - The next scheduled mediation sessions are on February 15, March 6, March 21, and April 4, 11 and 25. The School Committee is disappointed that GAEP was unable to offer a date sooner than February 15. We are eager to reach a timely resolution.
Summary of January 2024 School Committee Wages Proposal
Upcoming Mediation Sessions
October 22, 2024
Completed Mediation Sessions
May 30, 2024
April 25, 2024
April 11, 2024
April 4, 2024
March 21, 2024
March 6, 2024
February 15, 2024
January 24, 2024
January 11, 2024
Recordings of Completed Negotiation Sessions
Sept. 14 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
Aug. 23 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
July 19 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
June 28 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
June 6 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
May 22 School Committee GAEP Negotiations
Tentative Agreements
As of July 18, the negotiating teams have agreed on 12 proposals - 10 GAEP proposals and 2 School Committee proposals.
Tentative Agreements reached on June 28 and finalized on July 19
Tentative Agreements reached on June 6 and finalized on June 28
Tentative Agreements reached on May 22 and finalized on June 6
Tentative Agreements reached on April 27 and finalized on May 8
Proposals Presented by Each Negotiating Team
Update from the Aug. 23 Negotiations Session
The Aug. 23 negotiation session focused on wages. The School Committee proposed a revised wage proposal that would increase paraprofessional salaries by 19% to 33% and included wage comparisons with local school districts and districts that are economically comparable. The ESP team responded by revising their wage proposal. Both of these wage proposals and the district comparisons are linked below.
Update from the June 28 Negotiations Session
The School Committee and GAEP met on June 28th. The School Committee proposed a comprehensive approach to ESP professional development that would support the skill development of ESPs and support their efforts to earn professional licensure as a teacher.
The two negotiating teams also reached tentative agreement on two more proposals, both of which are designed to strengthen ESP training and professional development - one on newly hired paraprofessionals participating in training before the start of the school year and the other on providing reimbursements for workshops attended by ESPs that are approved by the superintendent.
Proposals Exchanged on June 28
School Committee Proposal on a Professional Learning for ESPs
Update from June 6 Negotiations Session
The School Committee and GAEP met on June 6 and shared documents that consolidated the proposals and counter proposals from each negotiating team. These documents are linked below.
The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed on five more proposals including ones that increase the level of training and professional learning for ESPs and increase the stipend for ESPs in specific district-wide special education programs.
Proposals Exchanged on June 6
Update from May 22 Negotiations Session
The School Committee and GAEP met on May 22 and completed sharing initial proposals. Both sides presented their opening wage proposals which are linked below.
The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed to a few proposals including increasing the annual stipend for those paraprofessionals who work in specific special education programs.
Proposals Exchanged on May 22
Update from May 5th Negotiation Session
The School Committee and GAEP negotiating teams discussed the proposals they presented on April 27 and presented counter proposals for some of them.
The two negotiating teams tentatively agreed to the separate housekeeping proposals proposed by both sides on April 27th.
The teams also tentatively agreed to the School Committee's Proposal #1 that clarified how ESP workdays beyond the student year can be used and increased the rate for external substitutes for ESPs.
Proposals Exchanged on April 27
Statement of Values and Intentions from the Gloucester School Committee Negotiating Team
The School Committee is committed to working toward a mutually satisfactory successor agreement. While contract negotiations can often be challenging for both parties, our School Committee Negotiating team will listen closely and work respectfully with our Gloucester Association of Education Paraprofessionals partners. It is our hope that together we will work productively and amicably toward solutions.
Values
We recognize the importance and value of Gloucester Public Schools’ Education Support Professionals.
We agree that Gloucester's Education Support Professionals play critically important roles in educating and supporting Gloucester’s public school students.
The work of Gloucester’s Education Support Professionals is essential to the effective operation of our schools.
We are aware of the changing nature of your work over the past few years and would like to hear from your team how these changes are affecting you.
We acknowledge that paraprofessionals can be provided with additional professional development that would help continue to build their skills and be even more effective with students.
We recognize that ESPs who work in specific district wide programs at times experience student behavior that is disruptive.
Intentions
During these successor negotiations we intend to offer and come to agreement on proposals that will:
Significantly increase salaries including introducing an entirely new salary schedule;
Allow ESPs to regularly participate in well-planned professional development for ESPs throughout the school year so they feel better prepared and more successful when working with students;
Allow all new ESPs hired for the new school year to complete training before they start their job. ESPs hired during the school year would participate in this training within four months of being hired; and,
Provide training to program ESPs that will improve safety conditions while working with disruptive students