Members of the Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association participated in a stand-out demonstration as the contract negotiations with the district have entered mediation. The two sides reached an impasse.
Reminder Publishing photo by Peter Tuohy
WILBRAHAM — The Hampden Wilbraham Education Association held a stand-out demonstration on Dec. 12 at Crane Park, bringing awareness to ongoing challenges educators have faced while working under expired contracts.
“Friday’s stand-out aims to inform the community about the situation, highlight the continued commitment of educators and encourage swift action to resolve the contract,” The HWEA said in a press release.
The HWEA represents more than 375 teachers, paraprofessionals and service providers across the Hampden Wilbraham Regional School District. Contracts expired at the end of the last school year despite ongoing negotiations with the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District School Committee. Since no agreement has been reached, state mediation has been filed by the district and union to bring negotiations to a fair conclusion.
Some issues that negotiations are stuck on are seeking pay raises for paraprofessionals and teachers, and paid family leave as a benefit for educators when there is a birth or adoption of a child.
HWEA President and Minnechaug English teacher Damian Konkoly said negotiations began in November 2024 and contracts expired in June 2025. The HWEA met with the School Committee a couple times this fall but decided they were at an impasse, according to Konkoly.
“When our educators struggle, our communities struggle with them,” Konkoly said. “The School Committee must settle a contract that provides paraprofessionals with a true living wage and ensures teachers receive cost-of-living adjustments that reflect today’s inflation. This is about preserving the foundation that makes our schools great.”
Konkoly said if the public becomes more aware of the situation through a stand-out demonstration, hopefully pressure will be put on the School Committee to come to a resolution.
“Our educators have shown extraordinary dedication despite the uncertainty of working without a contract,” Vice President Georgina Trebbe said. “We are committed to reaching a fair agreement as quickly as possible, one that supports our teachers, strengthens our schools, and ensures the best learning environment for our students.”
The HWRSD School Committee said in a press release that it is “committed to reaching a fair and sustainable agreement with our educators.” The release also said “all members of the committee are deeply committed to supporting educators and students, and have great respect for the work our educators do.”
It added that to provide responsibly what the HWEA seeks, it needs to “balance competitive competition with the district’s financial realities.”
“Our goal has been to settle these contracts quickly so we can provide well deserved raises and keep the district focused on teaching and learning,” the School Committee said. “We will participate fully and in good faith, until the shared goal of reaching an agreement that supports educators, protects students and remains financially sustainable for both communities.”
