Schools

Neshaminy Teachers Vote to Approve Possibility of Strike

Neshaminy School District teachers voted Monday night to authorize union leadership to implement job actions, including work-to-contract or strike.

The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers "overwhelmingly" authorized union leadership to take "stronger actions," potentially calling for a strike, to assist in ending the contract impasse between the NFT and Neshaminy School District. 

According to a statement issued by the NFT, teachers approved a motion last night to authorize leadership to implement job actions, including work-to-contract and/or a strike in order to get the "bargaining process moving toward an agreement."

“The certified staff spoke loud and clear this evening that they are fed up with the district’s failure to negotiate in good faith,” NFT President Louise Boyd said in the statement.

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Also in the statement, Boyd "stressed that NFT members remain committed to the collective bargaining process, and no job action is imminent."

On his Neshaminy Info blog, board member William O'Connor wrote "I see this as another instance in a long line of regrettable decisions by the NFT."

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"I do question their wisdom in granting such dictatorial powers to a leadership that has so badly misread and mismanaged the situation since the very beginning," he wrote.

Teachers plan to attend the school board meeting this evening, according to the statment.

"The NFT also plans to step up its activities over the summer to press the Board to make a commitment to the bargaining process," according to the statement.

This vote comes a week after the NFT and school board were scheduled to meet to negotiate terms of a contract. At this June 13 meeting, that was , stating that the proposal was "too expensive."

In a statement issued by the board June 13, "the board asked for additional time to prepare a counter proposal with the assistance of the newly formed Neshaminy Citizens Contract Advisory Committee."

Following the June 13 meeting, Boyd posted the following on the NFT's Facebook page at about 8 p.m.:

"The meeting is over. In fact it never started. The Board was not prepared to offer any proposal. They did advise us now that we moved on the healthcare contribution, they are now raising yet another issue on which they flatly refuse to move - RETROACTIVITY. The Board stated that there was no reason to meet on Thursday because they must first meet with their double secret advisory committee."


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