BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP — Teachers in one district in Susquehanna County could hit the picket line later this month.
A message posted on the Montrose Area School District’s website says teachers plan to strike March 29.
The teachers union and the school board have not been able to come to an agreement on salaries.
Here is the full letter posted on the district’s website:
Dear Parents and Citizens of the Montrose Area School District,
Though many are among the highest paid workers in Susquehanna County, and work only 187 days per year, the union representing the Montrose Area School District teachers has announced an intention to strike on March 29, 2016.
The Board holds the teaching staff in the highest regard, and appreciates the efforts and time they put into educating the children in the district. The teachers in the Montrose Area School District on average make more money than teachers in other districts in Susquehanna County. Teachers with 13 years of experience or more in their career make more money than teachers in other more affluent school districts, such as Abington Heights. The teachers in the Montrose Area School District are among the highest paid in any rural school district in Pennsylvania. Economic pressures have made it impossible to sustain the benefits growth that has been enjoyed up through the last contract.
The Montrose Area School District is both concerned and frustrated with the Montrose Education Association (MEA) for abandoning negotiations and scheduling a strike. The Board has made a sustained effort to meet with the MEA representatives as often as possible since formal negotiations began in April of 2015, with the hope that a new contract could be agreed upon prior to the expiration on August 31st, 2015 of the 2011 – 2015 contract.
In its simplest terms, the MEA has been offered a number of proposals, the goal of which would have been to provide more money for salaries by having the teachers participate in a less expensive but high quality health insurance program, and paying a small percentage for their coverage. Every proposal to work within that budget framework has been rejected by the MEA. Details of this offer and MEA demands can be found on the district’s website. (www.masd.info)
Since receiving almost a $1 million bonus for signing gas leases, the District has been forced to spend almost the entire amount to fund the state-mandated pensions. It is anticipated that once again the signing bonus will be used to fund the pensions, and it is anticipated that for the 3rd year in a row property taxes on Montrose area residents will be raised to the maximum allowed by Act 1 in order to balance the budget.
The union, despite the generous compensation, is apparently showing a willingness to insist on more money at the expense of not just the taxpayers, but also the students of the District as well. The District is concerned that the current strike notification may not have been put to a vote of the current union membership because in comparison to teachers in surrounding areas, those in the Montrose Area School District with more than 13 years experience would appear to be overpaid. The District also put forth a proposal that would have adjusted the compensation for the newer teachers while leaving the compensation of those already in the highest paid bracket the same. Again the District is concerned that this proposal may not been put to a vote of the current union membership.
It is the union and not the District which has abandoned the negotiations which began almost a year ago. The union by its action also walked away from a fact-finding proceeding by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board which was requested by the District as a next step in the negotiations process. The only conclusion one can surmise by this rush to issue a strike notice is that the MEA does not want a neutral fact finder analyzing their demands and concluding that the District cannot afford them.
The District would not ordinarily discuss salary negotiations in public, but the union’s decision has required this response from the District.
By law, strike or no strike, the teachers are obligated to provide 180 days of instruction to students before June 30th. The strike, if carried out, therefore promises to disrupt graduation plans and family activities during the month of June, while guaranteeing that the teachers lose no money from engaging in this strike.
The budget process is again underway, and there is no reason to believe (indeed, it is unlikely) that any state or federally mandated programs will receive any additional funds over the prior year. The fact that the state has been unable to come to some pension reform makes the likelihood of realizing any pension savings in the near future highly unlikely.
The Board is committed to doing everything reasonable to avoid a strike. We will continue to do everything possible to benefit our students’ educations without exceeding what the community can bear.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend school board meetings, and to review the budget for the 2016-2017 school year when it is presented. The Board would also like to hear from the public about any programs which the public feels could be eliminated to meet the MEA demands.
We appreciate your patience and support as we work to reach an equitable agreement for both the teachers and the community. Please refer to the Montrose Area School District website for additional information and updates during the negotiations process. (www.masd.info)
This response to the union strike announcement has been developed by the entire Montrose Area Board of Education and has been unanimously approved.
Sincerely,
Montrose Area School District Board of Education