Winthrop Unions Demand Up to 19 Percent Pay Raises in Joint Wage Proposal

WINTHROP — September 29, 2025 — Winthrop school unions jointly presented an opening wage proposal calling for raises of up to 19 percent for teachers and 50 percent or more for support staff over three years. John Cross, Vice President of the Winthrop Teachers Association, told the School Committee at its September 29 special meeting that Winthrop currently ranks 13 out of 18 comparable districts for early-career teacher pay and would fall to 17 out of 18 under a continued 2-2-2 percent annual increase pattern. The unions' proposal sets a target of reaching the regional median for teacher salaries, while the ESP proposal aims for a minimum annual wage of $35,000 and a top wage of $50,000 by contract's end — still below the $56,221 annual living wage the MIT Living Wage Calculator identifies for the region. A committee member acknowledged the recently passed tax override but said the board is "bound to the budget" and will respond unit by unit at the next round of bargaining sessions, which had not yet been scheduled as of Monday's meeting.