Montrose strikes

BY STACI WILSON

A teachers’ strike left Montrose Area School District classrooms empty Tuesday as union members picketed in downtown Montrose and two of the schools.

Montrose Education Association President Teri Evans said about 125 teachers are involved in the showing of “solidarity and unity.”

MEA issued a strike notice in late February, after contract negotiations stalled. The teachers’ contract expired in August 2015.

Evans said MEA had presented what it believes to be a fair and reasonable proposal that was within the financial means of the district.

“Everything can be solved over the negotiation table,” Evans said. “At any time, we’re ready to meet.”

The district and union last met on Wednesday, March 23, according to Superintendent Carol Boyce.

“At that time, the district presented a full explanation of its proposal,” Boyce said. “MEA rejected that proposal completely and did not offer a counter-proposal or one of its own.”

Boyce said the district offered to take the negotiations to neutral, state-appointed fact-finding in February and again last week. She said MEA refused the offer.

“It’s actually the next logical step in the process of negotiation once you reach impasse,” Boyce said. After the offer in February, she said, “MEA countered with the strike notice.”

During the three-year contract dispute in the Mountain View School District, fact-finding was part of the negotiations. Both sides rejected the fact-finder’s recommendations but settled the contract after a strike notice was issued before the start of the 2015-16 school year.

Pennsylvania State Education Association representative James Maria said the district’s offers have moved in a backward and regressive direction since talks began with less money being offered than had been.

He said MEA had proposed a contract that would bring savings to health care but the large amount of dollars on the table “kept evaporating.”
“There was a half million dollars of savings,” Maria said. “All of a sudden, it goes away.”

Both sides speak about addressing the disparity in the current salary schedule, but differ in how to reach that objective.

Maria said MEA must first know the funding available to move people on the salary schedule. Then increases could be made on those “steps” to correct any disparity.

Traditionally, the bargaining unit distributes the wages among its membership, Boyce said. In the past, the funds have been distributed so that employees at the top of the scale received the largest increases.

She said the district suggested redistribution early on in the negotiations but that it had been rejected. “I don’t know that there has been any change,” she said.

But salary and health care are not the only issues on the table for the district. Boyce said the obligation to the teachers’ retirement also needs to be considered in negotiations.

She said MEA has been unwilling to discuss the district’s public school retirement (PSRS) obligations. “They said the retirement amount is ‘not in their purview.’”

Boyce said Montrose can’t shoulder the cost of the union’s proposal and continue with its “PSRS obligation which continues to increase.”

This year, Montrose Area will pay over 21 percent of its salary amount into the state pension; that amount is expected to increase over the years until the district pays 30 percent of its salary obligations to PSRS.

“Retirement is something all employees of district receive rest of their lives as a benefit from working in school district in Pennsylvania,” Boyce said. “From taxpayer and board standpoint, that obligation needs to be figured in with salary and benefits.”

Boyce said the she, and school board members, have received emails and phone calls from district residents and taxpayers encouraging the board to “hold firm.”

“They say they can’t afford to pay more,” Boyce said.

Evans said MEA has also received support from community members and by passersby as they hit the picket line Tuesday morning.

Both side expressed a willingness to come to the table.

Boyce said the district is open to continuing session but said no dates for meetings have been established.

Evans said MEA is willing to meet with the board to work toward a resolution.

In the meantime, the teachers remain on strike in Montrose.

But the Pennsylvania Department of Education has stated the strike can only continue until Monday, April 11 and that classes must resume on Tuesday, April 12 in order for the district to meet its 180 educational days by June 15.

Sports and activities are not affected by the strike, Boyce said. Coaches and club-activity advisors are handled on a salary schedule outside the collective bargaining unit. “We expect coaches and advisors with after-school activities to be there to supervise and coach,” Boyce said.

Families have been asked to bring students to the school and the late bus is providing transportation after activities.

Students taking classes at the Susquehanna County Career & Technology Center are also being transported, as are special education students enrolled in programs outside of the district.

Nine Montrose Area students will also be attending All-State music festival this week, Boyce said.

During the strike, members of the Montrose Education Association planned use their time to perform some community service, including a clean-up at Memorial Park in Montrose, and work on dugouts in Choconut.

They are also coordinating a canned food drive; and will be handing out food donations Wednesday, March 30, 5-6 p.m. at the Laundromat located on the corner of Lathrop Street and Grow Ave., Montrose; and Choconut Children’s Center near the intersection of SR 267 and Quaker Lake Rd.

Families will receive a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, a box of graham crackers, a can of pears, a can of peaches, a box of granola bars, cups of applesauce, and a loaf of wheat bread.