Polls apart on teacher strike issue

Legalizing teacher strikes in Massachusetts has become a contentious topic following a spate of illegal walkouts in local districts and a push by the state’s teachers unions to change state law and allow educators to take to the picket line. 

What does the public think about the issue? That seems to depend on how you ask. 

A poll released last month by Boston-based Northwind Strategies suggested widespread support for allowing strikes. The poll, conducted in February by Change Research, found 67 percent of voters strongly support or somewhat support “allowing public school teachers to go on strike to fight for higher wages and improved working conditions.” Just 29 percent were opposed to that question. 

Public sentiment is “loud and clear” on the issue, Northwind said.

According to a new survey by the MassINC Polling Group, voters are much more divided on the issue. In a poll MPG conducted in late March for Democrats for Education Reform, 45 percent of voters supported making teacher strikes legal, while 40 percent said they should remain illegal. 

The interviewer first explained that strikes by public sector employees are currently against the law, with unions that do go on strike subject to fines, and said there is proposed legislation to make strikes legal.

When the poll highlighted potential downsides of strikes for students, support for legalizing walkouts fell slightly, with 41 percent agreeing with the statement, “Teachers should be able to go on strike, even if it means students miss time learning in school.” 

That focus on learning time also pushed up the share of respondents who support maintaining the strike ban, with 48 percent agreeing more with the statement, “Students should be in school and learning as much as possible, even if it means teachers cannot go on strike.” 

The poll by MPG, a for-profit affiliate of MassINC, the nonpartisan public policy think tank that publishes CommonWealth, also found that voters weren’t terribly well-informed on the overall issue of teacher strikes.  

The first question asked respondents was whether they thought it was currently legal or illegal for public school teachers in Massachusetts to strike. Fully a third of those polled (33 percent) incorrectly thought striking was currently legal, with 45 percent saying they thought it was illegal, and 22 percent saying they didn’t know or didn’t answer.  

While the state’s teachers unions are pushing hard for legislation to legalize strikes, prospects for such a change don’t look good based on the views of Beacon Hill’s major players. Gov. Maura Healey, Senate President Karen Spilka, and House Speaker Ron Mariano have all signaled that they don’t support a change in the law. 

FROM COMMONWEALTH

Mel King laid to rest: Michael Jonas reports that civil rights icon Mel King was remembered at a four-hour funeral service at Union United Methodist Church in the South End that was filled with music and plaudits from a wide assortment of people from all walks of life. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she would not be in her position today but for King. US Rep. Ayanna Pressley called him a forceful leader without airs. Byron Rushing, who succeeded King in the Legislature, said the city’s most famous Black leader was not ahead of his time. “Mel was on time,” he said. “He was only working in a city where most of the leadership was behind the time.” Read more.

House releases tax plan: Bruce Mohl reports that the House’s tax plan builds on Gov. Maura Healey’s philosophy of affordability and competitiveness while adopting a fiscally cautious approach by phasing in some of the tax breaks over several years. The House plan mimics the governor’s proposal while adding two new initiatives, one to benefit lower-income people and one to benefit businesses. Read more.

OPINION

Look within: Margaret Marotta, the superintendent of Haverhill Public Schools, and Deborah Margolis and Russsell Olwell of Merrimack College, say schools should look within – to paraprofessionals and aides, for new teachers. Read more.

FROM AROUND THE WEB

BEACON HILL

A Globe editorial calls for beefing up transparency requirements in campaign finance law enforcement, spotlighting a case involving donations made by state Sen. Ryan Fattman’s campaign committee that has lingered in the attorney general’s office for two years.  

More than half of all Republicans and nearly 40 percent of residents overall say they’ve considered leaving Massachusetts in the past year, according to a UMass Amherst/WCVB poll. (Boston Globe) 

MUNICIPAL MATTERS  

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will unveil a $4.28 billion budget today, representing a 6.8 percent increase in city spending. (Boston Herald) 

Worcester’s City Council voted to approve an affordable housing proposal that would require 15 percent of units to be affordable in buildings with more than 12 units, siding with the city administration over some objections from affordable housing advocates. (MassLive)

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has proposed using $1.3 million out of $12.8 million left over from the city’s last fiscal year to purchase new police equipment and upgrade fire department facilities. (New Bedford Standard-Times)

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

C-Mart Stores, a Boston-area supermarket chain, will pay an $800,000 fine to settle allegations that it violated state labor laws by failing to pay overtime and weekend rates (Associated Press)

Oluwaseun Adedeji, who operates marijuana dispensaries in Athol and Oregon, had his operating and provisional licenses for a dispensary in Williamstown suspended for posting a video to Instagram in which he threatened employees. (Berkshire Eagle) 

EDUCATION

The Easthampton School Committee, after hearing an earful from the public, moves on from its initial choice for superintendent and offers the job to Erica Faginsky-Stark. The job offer to the initial candidate, Vito Perrone, was withdrawn after he sent an email to two school officials referring to them as “ladies.” (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Worcester School Committee members are considering a proposal that would stop money from the city’s public schools from going to the controversial Old Sturbridge Village charter school to fund activities like field trips. (Worcester Telegram)

Universal Hub had the scoop last night on the latest screw-up in the Boston Public Schools: An error in calculating grade point averages led to some students mistakenly receiving letters saying they were eligible to apply for a seat at the city’s selective-admission exam schools, while others who are in fact eligible to apply were told they are not.  

TRANSPORTATION

One man was hit and killed by a commuter rail train in Salem and another survived in Beverly when he laid down between the tracks and the train passed over him. (Salem News)

Two MBTA work vehicles derailed in separate incidents on Monday and Tuesday, with no injuries or service disruption resulting. (Boston Herald)

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS

An Eagle-Tribune editorial, noting time is running short, urges Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker to take legal action against former Methuen police chief Joseph Solomon.

MEDIA