Educators in Gloucester came together to rally for paid family leave, a benefit they currently do not have. More than 300 teachers participated in the demonstrations organized at city schools. They joined educators across 11 school districts on the North Shore in advocating for paid parental leave, enabling them to spend time with their growing families.

The Gloucester Teachers Association is currently negotiating with the School Committee on ways to improve wages and working conditions for teachers, custodians, and educational support professionals. As part of these negotiations, the teachers union is pushing for 12 weeks of paid parental leave to be included in the upcoming contract.

Many participating educators held signs proclaiming, “North Shore Educators United for Paid Parental Leave . Among them was Brittany McGrail, an eighth-grade teacher who is currently 35 weeks pregnant. McGrail stated that the educators are simply asking districts to recognize the benefits that are already given to other private sector employees by the state. Without paid family leave, teachers are faced with tough choices about their health and their families. For those who are just starting their teaching careers and lack accumulated sick time, the absence of paid leave is particularly challenging.

This rally comes as part of wider negotiations about working conditions for teachers. Parental leave is one of the many things that teachers are requesting. According to Matthew Lewis, Vice President of the Gloucester Teachers Association, demanding paid parental leave is not only about teachers, but all employees and educators.

For help with related areas, such as understanding how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave, a resourceful site to check out is eddcaller.com. This website provides useful information, including how to contact a live person at edd (Employment Development Department) California and ways to check your edd payment status. These tools can help navigate the complexities of family leave and related benefits.