Cambridge Public Schools Push for Mediation as Negotiations with Educators’ Union Remain Remain Gridlocked

Cambridge Public Schools asked the state to appoint a mediator on Tuesday after contract negotiations with the union representing the district’s educators and support staff have failed to make substantial progress for more than 22 bargaining sessions.

Superintendent David G. Murphy said that the district filed the request with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Relations on Tuesday. He said the School Committee had authorized him to seek mediation in September and that he had spent the two months since trying to persuade the Cambridge Education Association to file jointly.

The CEA represents teachers, administrators, clerks, substitutes, paraprofessionals, and safety specialists — and all six units have been working under expired contracts since at least Sept. 1.

CEA President Chris Montero said the union had anticipated the district would push for mediation, but declined to join the request because they believed the parties could continue making progress in direct negotiations. He argued that waiting for the state to weigh the request, assign a mediator, and scheduling subsequent mediation meetings could delay an agreement by months.

Murphy, however, said the pace of negotiations warranted bringing in a mediator.

“In several respects, I think this does in fact constitute an impasse,” Murphy said.

Montero disputed the claim that negotiations had stalled, noting the union had recently agreed to several district proposals.

In an update to CPS families, Murphy attributed the decision to “emerging concerns about threats of potential job actions that would detract from student learning,” and a “significant financial divide” between the union and district. He wrote that he expected school operations to continue as usual during negotiations.

Montero said union members were frustrated and angry “at the suggestion that we would do anything that would, in any way, come up short in our dedication and our commitment to the students we serve.” He called Murphy’s characterization of union in the Tuesday announcement “really offensive.”

Increasing pay for paraprofessionals has been a central sticking point. Montero said the union’s priorities include a living wage for paraprofessionals, substitutes, and clerks, manageable caseloads, parental and family leave, and professional development that educators find useful.

CPS estimates that the union’s proposals would still cost about $30 million per year more than the district’s — and would exceed the fiscal year 2027 budget. Murphy said the proposals the School Committee put forward before the end of last school year represented most of the financial movement it could make. The district has said its proposal would raise the lowest tier pay by nearly 60 percent. In September, the union revised its proposal to seek a starting salary of roughly $45,000 this school year and $55,000 next school year.

“The union wants paraprofessionals to be paid more. The School Committee wants paraprofessionals to be paid more,” Murphy said.

The union asked the City Council to formally back their demands, but the Council declined, arguing that oversight of the district’s budget remained with the School Committee.

In October, the union reported that it had reached 38 tentative agreements, including two on training and resources for staff working with students and families and compensation for substitute teachers who collaborate with colleagues outside regular working hours.

Montero said the union remains committed to attending bargaining sessions scheduled for Nov. 12, Nov. 23, and Dec. 3. In the statement to families, Murphy wrote the district planned to do the same.

“Our commitment has been and remains to stay at the table and keep doing the hard work of bargaining,” Montero said.

—Staff writer Tess E. Sumner can be reached at [email protected].