Schools

Neshaminy School Board, Union Review Current Contract Proposals

The negotiation teams for the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers met in their 38th negotiation session Wednesday evening.

The negotiation teams for the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers met in their 38th negotiation session that lasted about two hours Wednesday evening. During those two hours, according to the board's statement about the meeting, time was spent with state mediator reviewing both current proposals from the NFT dated August 29, 2011 and the board's proposal dated September 7, 2011.

According to the board's statement, the NFT's proposal suggested taking money set aside by the board to pay for Public School Employees Retirement System [PSERS] expenses for the teachers and other employees of the district to settle the contract.

"The NFT suggested that these funds would not be needed because the PSERS Fund investments would not require future increases, however, the latest audit on December 9, 2011 shows a loss for the PSERS fund of 3.62 percent. In fact, the contribution percentage increased from the current 8.65 percent for employers to 12.36 percent for 2012-2013 school year," according to the board's statement.

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In addition, the board's statement stated that the NFT suggested that monies in the district's Capital Improvement Fund could be used to help settle the contract.

"The board explained that there is $40,000,000 of capital improvement needs and due to Act 1 we have limited ability to float future debt. The board feels that our buildings are very important to our students success," according to the board's statement.

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The board's statement also reported that one of the other suggestions offered by the NFT would require the district to raise taxes.

"Once again, Act 1 limits the amount the district can raise to $1,900,000. For the entire needs of the district which includes buildings,buses, fuel, salary's, student supplies, etc. Therefore it would be impossible to dedicate any potential tax increase monies strictly to teachers salaries only. However, due to current economic conditions, it would be hard to find support for a tax increase," according to the board's statement.

"While tonight's negotiation session with the Neshaminy School District certainly did not produce a new contract with the NFT, it was clearly the first time in nearly four years that the District showed some level of willingness to actually negotiate with the NFT about the issues at hand," NFT Spokesperson Bob Schiers said of Wednesday's meeting.

The school board agreed to change its stance on grievance and drug testing details at the insistence of the state mediator. 

"After consideration to these proposed concessions, the NFT came back asking for a study on drug testing by a committee of equal members (NFT and the school board) to come up with appropriate drug testing to address the issue and cost associated to implement. The committee to formulate resolution for recommendation and adoption," according to the board's statement.

Following this discussion with the mediator, it was the board's opinion that the NFT was not serious in negotiating any matters of importance that could lead to a settlement so the session was ended."

Schiers stated that the board did not bring a "substantive counter proposal" to the meeting that the union was hoping for. He also said that teachers offered to meet to negotiate during the holiday break, but the school board was not available.

"Teachers remain committed to the bargaining process, but everyone should understand that time is running out," he said.

Tentative negotiation sessions have been scheduled for January 12, 2012 and January 26, 2012.


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