Newton Teachers To Pay $625K In Fines, Class-Action Lawsuit Dismissed

NEWTON, MA — The Newton Teachers Association will have to pay up to the city and state for its 15-day strike that concluded earlier this month — which was illegal under state law — but will not face an additional class-action lawsuit seeking additional penalties after a Middlesex County Superior Court judge denied a motion to intervene on behalf of the parents and declared "the case is over."

As part of the ruling, the $625,000 in fines will be split between Newton Public Schools to cover costs on behalf of the city associated with the strike and the state as "considering the role of fines in compelling compliance with court orders and the law."

(Also on Patch: Newton School Vacation Week Strikes Differently This Year)

Judge Christopher Barry-Smith had issued escalating fines against the NTA in the first days of the illegal strike but the teachers and faculty remained off the job for nearly two more weeks before reaching an agreement with the School Committee and Mayor Ruthanne Fuller on a new, four-year contract.

Under Tuesday's ruling, which was supported by the NTA and School Committee as part of the return-to-work agreement reached on Feb. 2, the NTA will pay $350,000 to the state for disobeying the court orders and $275,000 back to Newton Public Schools as a compensatory fine.

"On this date, I issued an order to enter final judgment in this action," the judge said in court documents. "Accordingly, the case is over and this motion to intervene is denied as moot."

An NTA statement released on Tuesday said the ruling and return to school with a new contract signal "we are at an important point now to move forward with implementing the terms of our new contract, which allows us to better meet the needs of our students."

"The members of the NTA are also glad to see the end to the politically motivated legal actions taken against our union for going on strike," the NTA said. "The national movement aimed at weakening educator unions and other public-sector unions is not welcome here, as it undermines advocacy for the public good.