No School, if Strike Occurs

Teacher Contract Negotiations are continuing today, Sunday, March 30. They may last throughout the day and night. At this time, we are continuing to hope for a settlement. Please continue to check our website and to access local media for updates.

IF, AND ONLY IF, the strike does take place, ALL Nashua Public Schools, Preschool and K‐12, will be closed on Monday, March 31, 2008. In this case, the Superintendent will make use of the Parent Link system and other media to notify parents that there is no school. This will be done in the same way in which school closings are announced for inclement weather.

• The 21st Century Program and Nashua Adult Learning Center Adventure Club will not be in session during the strike.
• All buildings will be staffed by building administrators.
• Buses will be available at the regularly scheduled times to transport students to Alvirne for CTE classes. Pick‐ups at NHS‐South and North will occur at 7:15 AM and 12:00 PM. Transportation back to each school will also be provided at the regular times.
• Students will have to provide their own transportation to and from their high school parking lots. Parking will be available for Nashua students who wish to drive to Alvirne during the strike.
• Special Education students currently transported to out-of-district schools will be transported as usual.
• Athletic practices, events, and all extracurricular activities will occur at the discretion of the coaches and advisors. Coaches and advisors are responsible for conveying information to the students, parents, principals, and in the case of athletics the Athletic Director.
• Field trips scheduled at the elementary and middle school level will not occur.
• The Nashua School District’s Adult Education, Drivers Education, and Community Enrichment Programs will continue to run on their regular schedule. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact 603‐589‐6416.
• Private schools in Nashua will operate as normal. These include: BG, Nashua Catholic, Clearway, Infant Jesus, St. Christopher’s, Nashua Christian, and the Nashua Children’s Home.

Christopher Hottel
Superintendent of Schools
Nashua School District

Saturday Negotiations

Right now:

Negotiations have been going on since 11 a.m. this morning, with the NTU, the BOE, and mutually-agreed-upon conciliator Ira Lobel of New York.

A moment ago:

The NTU filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Superintendent Hottel and Mayor Lozeau, both of whom sent direct messages to teachers regarding contract matters, specifically the threat of dismissal and the use of an online salary calculator, respectively, thereby influencing negotiations without dealing directly through the union. This could be considered a violation of NH labor law.

A clarification:

The strike will be called off only if 1) the NTU and BOE negotiate successfully on a contract, AND 2) the BOA and Mayor indicate their willingness to sign off on it. More definitive action is impossible considering the closeness of the imposed deadline.

Weather Update:
With a forecast of Monday snow, NH is less than a foot of snow away from the snowiest winter on record.

Super Says School Monday

Many of you have expressed concerns about a potential interruption of Nashua’s school system next week. As you are aware, the Nashua Board of Education and the Nashua Teachers’ Union are continuing to negotiate a contract for our teachers and school nurses. In fact, a negotiating session is scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, March 29. There is uncertainty for you and for us because of the strike announced by the Nashua Teachers Union for Monday, March 31, 2008.

As Superintendent of Schools, I believe in the dedication of our teachers in Nashua. I believe that they want to be with their students. At this time, therefore, we are planning on our schools being open on Monday.

But I need to tell you that I will not place our students in a situation of conflict or danger, and therefore I may need to notify you on Monday that schools are closed. If that is the case, I will be utilizing Parent Link, the District's web site, www.nashua.edu, and media outlets early Monday morning to let you know if school is cancelled, just as I normally do when school is cancelled because of inclement weather.

I remain hopeful that a fair contract between the Nashua Board of Education and the Nashua Teachers Union can be negotiated this weekend to avoid the announced strike.

This is an ongoing situation and I want to thank you for your patience.

Christopher Hottel
Superintendent of Schools
Nashua School District

The Likelihood of a Strike

Current Issue: Nashua Teachers Union (NTU) Strike.

The Basics:

• Nashua Teachers have been working without an updated contract since Sept. 2006.
• A contract must be agreed upon by the Union, then passed by the Board of Education (BOE), Board of Aldermen (BOA), and Mayor Lozeau.
• Three previous contracts have been passed by the BOE then rejected either by the BOA or the Mayor. The third hinged on a $3 million, or 1%, monetary difference, and was vetoed.
• Major issues revolve around retroactive pay of raises and city budget concerns.
• Striking is illegal for NH public employees. Planning a strike is not.

The Latest:

• If no contract is agreed upon, picket lines are expected to appear all around the Nashua District starting Monday, March 31.
• The NH Labor Relations Board has denied Hottel's requested cease-and-desist order against the planned strike.
• Hottel is pursuing further legal action against a strike, including fines & restraining orders.
• Job fairs for substitutes to keep schools running in the event of a strike have been held.
• If parents deem school unsafe without teachers, students can be kept at home as excused absences.

Fun facts:

• Nashua Superintendent Chris Hottel is the highest paid in the state. Nashua teacher starting salaries rank 68th in the state.
• The NTU has 950 members, led by NTU president Bob Sherman.

Contract Details from the NTU: click here