These Teachers in Suburban Boston Went on an Illegal Strike — and Won
For public-sector workers in Massachusetts, as in many states throughout the country, strikes are illegal. That didn't stop these suburban teachers from striking and winning anyway.
Educators in Brookline, Massachusetts, won nearly all their demands after walking out on May 16. (Massachusetts Teachers Association)
Striking has been illegal for public employees in Massachusetts since 1919. But in Brookline, a small suburb of Boston, we did it anyway.
Out of a membership of 1,100, more than 900 signed in on the picket lines on May 16. The strike culminated with a thousand educators descending on town hall for a rally with allies from around the state.
Our bargaining team negotiated into the early hours of the next morning. When the sun rose, we had won two back-to-back three-year contracts with guaranteed prep periods for all educators, a fair pay raise (including important changes to longevity structures), and language aimed at attracting and retaining a more diverse workforce.
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