Last Tuesday, the same day that students across the city started a new school year, the Peabody School Committee approved a new contract with the Peabody Federation of Teachers (PFT), which represents over 500 teachers in the Peabody Public Schools, with a vote of 4-1.
The sole vote against these contracts was committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne.
“Normally, I always vote to support the contract,” she said prior to the vote. “I’ve always felt that if the membership was OK with it, then I would be OK with it as well. This year I will not be supporting the Unit A MOA because of a problem that came up at the very last minute last week with start times on the elementary school level…
“We need to make sure that communications are very clear and that people on both sides understand the impact – and I feel that many of the people who voted in favor of the contract did not understand what they were voting for and felt really put on when they understood exactly how the contract was going to take effect.
“Having listened to many of the staff members and then many parents, I just cannot support this. But other than that, the rest of the contract, I think, is a good one.”
Committee member Joseph Amico, who was involved in the negotiation process, admitted that there were “some hiccups.” He added that he gave many teachers “my word that I would be on top of this.”
He continued, “I will be voting in favor of it because I do think mistakes happen, and I do think that this was one of them, but I do believe in us because we’ve always shown that we put teachers up there…
“I will be voting yes just because I’ve given my word that if any issues come up, I will be speaking to the mayor; I will be speaking to the superintendent, and I feel like the response I’ve received from both the mayor and the superintendent make me feel good about this.”
The contract will cover four years, beginning Sept. 1, 2025 through Aug. 31, 2029. Over the course of the contract, educators will see increases to their salaries that take into account the true cost of living and other fiscal realities residents across the region face. According to Crawford Strategies, educators will see an 8-12% salary increase for the 2025-26 school year, with a 3% annual increase over the remaining three years of the contract.
“This is a fair contract for the teachers of Peabody, one that is competitive to ensure we’re able to retain and recruit the educators our students deserve,” said PFT President Mike Hawes. “Throughout this process, we maintained a positive and open working relationship with the administration, which allowed us to deliver a stronger, more inclusive contract than we’ve seen before.”
Starting this year, teachers will also be provided with four weeks of paid paternal leave, providing them with the opportunity most other employees across the state have to take time with their family following a child’s birth or adoption. It also provides teachers with a third personal day beginning in their 16th year of service to the district.
This contract takes important steps to support teachers of all levels, including those working with the district’s youngest learners and those educating students in Peabody’s career and technical education (CTE) programs. In addition to cleaning up and strengthening language throughout the contract, it ensures that pre-kindergarten teachers in Peabody Public Schools are covered and included throughout the agreement.
To support professional development, the contract increases the tuition reimbursement fund from $50,000 to $60,000 annually and expands the program to cover reimbursements for costs incurred by CTE teachers for necessary certifications and licenses specific to their work.
“Peabody benefits when our schools are more equitable and inclusive, for both our students and our educators,” Hawes said. “Creating stronger, more supportive workplaces for our educators results in stronger classrooms that take into account the specific needs of our students. This contract is a win for teachers, for students and for the entire community.”
