Peters teachers, district should negotiate every day
We count ourselves as Peters Township parents who are not “willing to wait.” We have read that organization’s petition and do not agree with it.
We are impatient for good faith negotiations between the district and the teacher’s union, with the result of a signed contract and a return to the classroom without added interruption later in the school year. We see no value in “waiting” – the time to craft a new and acceptable contract has long passed. If waiting is the district’s strategy, it is a poor one, and one which may lead to a second strike, further disrupting our children’s education. It is much more productive to bargain in good faith and demonstrate to the students that while there are disagreements, compromise and resolution is possible. That is the lesson our students should gain from this dispute.
While we are impatient for a resolution, we must also voice our support for the teachers’ right to strike, as devastating as it is to our community. We hear many bemoan the “power” of the union and what they see as the “greed” of the teachers. We would point out that without the past power of unions in this country, workers in any profession would not have weekends, Social Security benefits, pensions, Workers’ Compensation, Unemployment Compensation, health care benefits, lunch breaks, vacations, pregnancy and parental leave, equal pay, overtime pay, Family Medical Leave and more. We would also point out that our teachers are one of our community’s greatest resources; they are charged with imparting knowledge, teaching our children critical thinking skills and instilling in our children a lifelong love of learning. That is worth constant efforts at good faith negotiations.
So, we say to the board, “We are not willing to wait. Negotiate each and every day until a compromise and resolution is reached.” Our children’s education is worth at least that.
Gigi Gerban and Mark Kaspar
Venetia