Cumberland Valley Teacher Talks Dissolve
posted 9:12 am Thu January 24, 2008 - Cumberland County
Contract talks in the Cumberland Valley School District ended before they really even began Wednesday night. Could a strike be looming?
Though there are not any immediate plans to strike, the teachers' union says striking is on the table.
On Wednesday night, the Cumberland Valley School Board and Cumberland Valley Education Association (the teachers' union) met for their 13th bargaining session. It lasted less than an hour. Befor the meeting, the teachers' union rallied outside the Cumberland Valley School District building, demanding a fair contract.
Teachers want a more than 21% pay raise over four years. The school board is offering 17.5%. Healthcare contributions are also a sticking point. Teachers want to contribute between 4 and 10%. The board says 4.5 to 11%.
Previously, the school board offered that once a pay raise was agreed upon, it would retroactive to July 1st -- when teachers' contracts expired. On Wednesday night, the board took that off the table for good.
School board negotiator Ken Shur told abc27, "We believe that the community understands that is a fair offer and we are quite frankly at a loss at what the union does not understand."
Jay Foerster, the union spokesperson, responded, "We don't feel any respect. What we're asking doesn't cost a tax increase. Their offer doesn't take into account inflation. Striking's on the table. As much as I hate to say it and as much as we're going to look like the bad people in this situation."
No new negotiations are scheduled. It will be up to a mediator to do that. The school board believes that could happen sometime next month.
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