AI-generated transcript of Medford teachers rally outside City Hall

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[Reporter 1]: Right now, teachers in Medford are rallying at City Hall after working a year and a half without a contract. WBC's Paul Burton is live in Medford, and Paul, I understand they have some new demands.

[Reporter 2]: I tell you what, Lisa, they were decked in red for education. Dozens of school teachers just marched right in here to Medford City Hall to deliver a letter of a vote of no confidence, both to the mayor and the school committee. Now, Mayor Cohen was not actually here to receive that letter, so they taped it to her door and continued with the rally, letting their voices be heard. More than 100 teachers rallied at Medford City Hall late this afternoon. Today they marched right into the building to hand Medford Mayor Brianna Lungo-Cohen and the school committee their vote of no confidence.

[Reporter 1]: 94% of our members have no confidence in the mayor and the school committee to get this contract ratified.

[Reporter 2]: The teachers union has been without a contract for a year and a half. Negotiations are ongoing. The city says they've reached a signed tentative agreement with the union, but it's not yet been ratified. The rest of them are all here because we just want something fair. Listen, the city's, whatever situation they're in, they're in, but we didn't cause that. So we just want what is rightfully ours. Teachers are looking for a 3% increase in compensation and better benefits.

[Perez]: Where's our contract?

[Reporter 2]: Katie Perez is a fourth grade elementary teacher who says she's actually had to buy most of the supplies for her classroom.

[Perez]: So I purchased all tables for my classroom rather than desks. We have a lot of students that come from underprivileged families, so that's buying their school supplies.

[Reporter 2]: Today the city released a statement saying, we always aim to do the right thing, especially for our hardworking teachers, which is how we have been able to reach a signed tentative agreement with the leadership of the Teachers Union.

[Reporter 1]: There are less and less teachers going in, less and less people going into the field of education, and we want to attract the best here in Medford. So in order to do that, we want a compensation package that is better than surrounding communities.

[Reporter 2]: Both bargaining teams will meet back here on Wednesday at 3.30 to go over that contract and hopefully reach an agreement. No talks of any strike. Today was all about delivering that letter of a vote of no confidence. Live in Medford, I'm Paul Burton, WBZ News.



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