October 20, 2022 11:00 pm
HEA, the bargaining team and all of HEA’s officers are pleased to report that we have a tentative agreement and that the strike has therefore ended. All HEA members are to return to their regular work assignments and perform all of their regular duties on October 20, 2022, unless otherwise excused.
Per a preliminary injunction issued by the Superior Court in 2277-CV-00990, HEA, Tim Briggs in his official capacity as HEA President and Christine Hickey in her official capacity as an HEA member, announce (1) the current strike that has resulted from the strike vote that took place on October 14, 2022, as well as any other work stoppage, slowdown, or other withholding of services, is illegal and must therefore cease; and (2) that HEA’s members must immediately return to work;
Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 150E, Section 9A reads, as follows:
(a) No public employee or employee organization shall engage in a strike, and no public employee or employee organization shall induce, encourage or condone any strike, work stoppage, slowdown or withholding of services by such public employees.
(b) Whenever a strike occurs or is about to occur, the employer shall petition the commission to make an investigation. If, after investigation, the commission determines that any provision of paragraph (a) of this section has been or is about to be violated, it shall immediately set requirements that must be complied with, including, but not limited to, instituting appropriate proceedings in the superior court for the country wherein such violation has occurred or is about to occur for enforcement of such requirements.
Click here to learn more about legislation seeking to modify the law.