Boston-area teachers strike ends after 11 days with tentative contract agreement

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — An 11-day strike by teachers in a Boston suburb has ended after their union and the school district tentatively agreed on a new contract. The Newton Teachers Association announced the deal Friday night and it is expected to be ratified this weekend by union members and the Newton Public Schools board. Classes are expected to resume Monday. The strike by some 2,000 instructors affected about 12,000 students. Teachers were demanding cost-of-living hikes and more paid family leave. The contract grants an increase of about 13% over four years. It proved costly for both sides, with a judge fining the union more than $600,000 for violating a state ban on strikes by public workers. The school district, meanwhile, expects to spend an additional $53 million to meet the new contract requirements.