"Newton Teachers Persist on Picket Line Despite Hefty Fines and School Closures"

Newton teachers continue their strike despite incurring hefty daily fines, with the Newton Teachers Association stating they will only return to work once a contract is settled. The strike, which has left nearly 12,000 students out of classes, is the largest district to grapple with a teacher strike in Newton. The state labor board and the Newton School Committee sought the fines, reflecting growing frustration with the fines previously imposed on other teacher unions that have done little to deter them from striking. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is pushing legislation to allow educators and other public employee unions, except those involving public safety, to legally strike.