BEVERLY — Negotiations continued Saturday on the second day of the Beverly teachers strike.
School Committee Chair Rachael Abell spoke to the media at 3 p.m. at the McKeown School, where negotiations are taking place with a state-appointed mediator.
Abell said the two sides negotiated for seven hours on Friday and picked back up at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.
“Negotiations are still going on at this time,” Abell said at 3 p.m.
Nothing settled on Day 1
Negotiations in the Beverly teachers strike ended at 9 p.m. Friday without a settlement and are scheduled to resume Saturday morning.
Beverly Teachers Association Co-President Andrea Sherman said there was “minimal movement” in Friday’s talks.
Sherman said the fact that Mayor Mike Cahill was not in the negotiations is an indication that the School Committee “does not understand the urgency we need to get this deal done to return to school on Tuesday.”
School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said school officials continue to urge the teachers “to end their illegal strike and return to work on Tuesday.”
“We want to acknowledge the disruption this has caused to students and families and will continue to provide updates to the community,” Abell said.
Judge orders strike to end
A judge has ordered the Beverly Teachers Association to stop its strike “immediately” and return to work on Tuesday.
Salem Superior Court Judge Thomas Drechsler issued the order Friday afternoon. If the union does not comply, it will be subject to a court hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
The ruling came after the Beverly School Committee petitioned the state Department of Labor Relations to intervene and stop the strike. Strikes by public employees are illegal in Massachusetts.
The Beverly Teachers Association could be subject to fines if it does not comply with the court order.
The union and the School Committee resumed negotiations at 2 p.m. on Friday with the assistance of a state-appointed mediator. Teachers have said they will negotiate “around the clock” in an attempt to reach a settlement.
Hundreds rally at Lynch Park
Hundreds of striking teachers and their supporters rallied at Lynch Park on Friday afternoon.
Teachers, paraprofessionals, PTO members and students spoke to the crowd, urging city and school officials to come up with a better offer in contract negotiations so the strike can end quickly.
“We’re here today to make clear that we stand with our teachers and paras,” Beverly High School senior Lucas Carbone said. “We stand with the people who are shaping the future of this community.”
‘Millions of dollars apart’
In a press conference at the McKeown School Friday morning, School Committee Chair Rachael Abell said the two sides are still “millions of dollars apart” in negotiations.
“I think it’s unfair that students are being declined the opportunity to go to school,” Abell said.
Teachers picket outside school
Teachers picketed outside Beverly schools on Friday morning on the first day of a teachers’ strike.
Schools were closed due to the strike, but school officials were planning to be at Beverly High School to provide box lunches for students between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
This story will be updated throughout the day at salemnews.com.