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Final and best offers are presented in Peters Teachers strike

By Suzanne Elliott 3 min read
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The Peters Township School District and the Peters Township Federation of Teachers Local 3421 have posted their latest contract proposals and now it is up to a neutral arbitrator from suburban Philadelphia to decide at a two-day hearing March 3-4.

The 285 district teachers have been working without a contract since Aug. 31, the first day of school for the 4,300 students who attend school in Peters. After failing to reach an agreement, the teachers walked off of their jobs Oct. 28 and remained out until Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving, without a new labor agreement. And that lack of a contract forced both sides into nonbinding arbitration.

The arbitrator, attorney Timothy Tietze of Exton, Chester County, will rule on each issue separately and there will be no middle ground. He will either rule in favor of the district, or the union, on each issue. If the two sides fail no come to an agreement, then they will return to the negotiating table, which raises the possibility of a second strike. Prior to last year’s strike, the last time there was a work stoppage in the district was 2000.

“We have adjusted our last position to secure success,” said Paul Homer, a staff representative of the union. “We believe we have a fair proposal and we will see what happens next.”

The two main issues between the two sides have been salaries and health care costs. The average teacher’s salary in Peters is in excess of $70,000 a year, the district said.

The proposals, which were made available to the public 5 p.m. Friday, show the two sides are still apart when it comes to annual raises. The district is offering annual raises of $500 for teachers on salary Steps 1-16 and $200 a year for teachers on Step 17, the highest salary tier. The union, meanwhile, has proposed annual raises of $1,900 each year through the 2019-2020 school year. Teachers on Step 1 would receive a $1,200 a year raise. The union also said it did not want the work year to exceed 193 days.

Under an individual Highmark PPO Blue Plan, or equivalent, union members would contribute $75 a month for the 2015-2016 school year. In each of the following four years, the contribution would increase by $5. For example, the monthly contribution the following year would be $80 and top out at $95 a month for the 2019-2020 school year.

The public can view both proposals either online at the district’s web site, www.ptsdk12.pa.us, or at the administration building, 631 East McMurray Road starting Feb. 22, and continuing through 4:30 p.m. March 2.

Comments from the public must include the resident’s name and address and may be submitted via the online submission form on the district web site, or in paper form at the administration building. Those wishing to mail their comments can address them to Arbitrator Timothy Tietze, 631 East McMurray Road, McMurray, Pa. 15317.

“We want to encourage our community to review the offers from both sides carefully and take time to share insights and opinions aimed at a resolution,” said Jeannine French, district superintendent. “The public comments are a very important part of this process.”

The work stoppage also forced the district to push back the last day of school until June 23 because the district called a snow day Feb. 16 due to unsafe road conditions. High school seniors are still scheduled to graduate June 10, but have to complete five additional days of school from June 13-17 to meet the required days and hours of instruction for graduation. By state law, the district must get 180 days of instruction in by June 30.

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