WESTHAMPTON — Charging that the Hampshire Regional School Committee is stalling contract negotiations and disrespecting educators, members of the Hampshire Regional Education Association have voted to initiate a “work to rule” action.

Beginning Monday, classroom teachers, paraeducators and administrative assistants will work strictly to the provisions of their existing contract, the union said in a statement. It described the action as an end to “free work.”

The committee and association have been in contract talks for a few months but have not been able to narrow the gap between their respective pay proposals. The current contract expires Aug. 31.

Union president Greg Reynolds said Thursday the sides had met twice in April, after which the committee filed for mediation.

Reynolds said he didn’t know why the committee’s negotiators took that step April 24 after the union lowered its pay raise demand by 0.25% in each of the first two years of the contract.

In an emailed response to questions regarding the union’s action, Hampshire Regional School Committee Chair Kim Schott said students would “still be receiving the high quality of education that Hampshire Regional strives to provide” during the work to rule.

The committee “greatly values all of our employees including our teachers, paraeducators, and administrative assistants,” Schott stated. “We are hoping mediation will help us reach a settlement agreement that both reflects that value and that is fiscally responsible to our communities.”

The union says the School Committee has offered teachers annual raises of 1.25%, 1.25% and 2% over the three-year contract, and hasn’t adjusted its offer in several weeks. The union is seeking yearly raises of 4.75%, 4.75% and 8% for teachers and 4.75%, 4.75% and 10% for support personnel.

Reynolds said the union has filed an objection to mediation. The sides will meet May 25 with the Department of Labor Relations, which will rule on the dispute.

In arguing for face-to-face talks, he noted that school committee members are familiar with the school’s culture and the community’s needs, and outside mediators are not.

The union says work to rule means:

■Teachers will work from 7:35 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. and offer after-school help one day per week.

■Teachers will only attend two evening meetings totaling no more than three hours.

■Paraeducators and administrative assistants will work only their contractually required hours.

■Educators will not volunteer for tasks or events outside of those outlined in the contract.

■Educators will use prep periods strictly for planning, grading, sending work emails, contacting families, and updating online platforms.

“Hampshire Regional educators have felt undervalued throughout the contract bargaining process,” the union stated. “To show the district the extent to which educators routinely go above and beyond what is required of them, we made the decision to cease volunteering our time until a fair contract is settled.

“It is unconscionable for the district to expect us to provide free work, and then fail to support us with a fair contract ... We demand that the School Committee and district leadership treat contract bargaining with a sense of urgency and with a greater degree of respect for the educators our union represents.”

Teachers plan to meet in front of the school Monday morning and walk in together in a show of solidarity, Reynolds said.

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