HAVERHILL — Teachers are unhappy about their contract situation, and parents and one school official are worried about the potential impact on students.
At most of the city's schools, teachers walked into their buildings in groups one minute before their mandatory start times Friday morning.
Marc Harvey, president of the Haverhill Education Association, said this was done "as a sign of solidarity in the face of the lack of progress in contract talks with the committee."
But some parents who heard about what the teachers did contacted The Eagle-Tribune and said they feared this is the start of a "work to rule" move by teachers. "Work to rule" involves doing nothing that is not required by the teachers contract with the city. It could involve refusing to write recommendations for students applying for college or not providing extra help for students who request it.
Harvey emphasized Friday's job action was not a work to rule demonstration.
"We would never do a strict work to rule," he said.
Teachers will continue to respond to requests for help from students and parents, he said.
School Committee member Scott Wood Jr. said he intends to watch teachers to make sure they do not adopt a work to rule tactic. When told Harvey said he does not support a strict work to rule effort, Wood said, "I hope that's the case."
Such a move would be harmful to students and it would "never, ever make me bend (on contract negotiations)," Wood said.
Harvey did say that if administrators, such as principals, want to have a meeting with teachers — and the meeting is not specified in the contract — the teachers won't attend.
Asked if other job actions are planned, Harvey said, "There aren't at this time." He said his negotiations committee will be meeting soon.
The solidarity action Friday morning did not take place at the Moody or St. James schools, Harvey said. Some of the students at those schools have serious special needs, he noted.
City teachers have worked without a contract since July 1.
School Committee President Kerry Fitzgerald, who serves on that board's negotiations subcommittee, said the city does not have enough money to give raises to teachers.
"It's a scary time for everyone," she said.
The two sides have been negotiating since July 2007. Fitzgerald estimated they have had "10 to 12" sessions.
The Haverhill Education Association has about 800 members. About 600 are teachers, while another 150 or so are paraprofessionals, Harvey said. The remaining members are clerical employees.
Harvey said the impression that the teachers have a "lucrative" contract is inaccurate. The four-year pact that expired in July gave his members a 9.5 percent raise over four years, Harvey said, well below the rate of inflation.
Furthermore, teachers now pay 20 percent of their health insurance premiums, after paying 10 percent for years, he said.
Harvey also said a recent offer from the School Committee actually amounted to a "net decrease" for teachers.
Fitzgerald said while she "can't be more specific," Harvey's observation is "probably right." Some members would have gained with the recent offer, others would have lost ground, she said.
Both Fitzgerald and Wood said the economic crisis facing the state and nation has seriously limited the city's ability to pay the teachers more money.
"It behooves us to be careful about giving away money we don't have," Fitzgerald said.
"I would love to give them as much as possible," Wood said, adding he is worried raising teachers' pay would actually force some of them to be laid off.
Wood noted he voted against the now-expired contract three years ago.
"I warned my colleagues at the time that a vote for a raise today is a vote for larger classes later," he said.
Harvey said teachers' salaries, as a percentage of the total city budget, have declined since 2001.
