Thursday, February 7, 2013
Negotiations between the district and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers fell apart Wednesday night.
An end to the Neshaminy School District labor dispute does not appear any closer after Wednesday night's negotiation session, according to statements from the teacher's union and school board. "In a very disappointing turn of events, the School Board suddenly announced its intention to cease any further bargaining regarding the unresolved issues," a statement from the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers read. The school board's offer is based on the Council Rock School District contract. The contract, which was signed by Council Rock teachers in 2012, is the basis for Neshaminy's salary and working conditions proposal for teaching staff. The proposed contract eliminates provisions including equal say and past practice - two items that school …
Friday, January 25, 2013
During Thursday night's negotiation session, the Neshaminy School Board decided to not pull its "final offer" to the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers just yet.
In the 66th negotiation session, the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers met for more than three hours Thursday night, but never face to face -- the mediator chose to conduct separate discussions. School Board President Ritchie Webb said the board entered the meeting with "a sincere sense of urgency to move the process forward, but we were disappointed by the NFT's apparent disregard for the situation and unpreparedness to tackle the important issues." Webb also said the school board conveyed to the mediator its desire to address the most significant issues separating the both sides, including as past practice. However, Webb said, when the mediator returned to the room after meeting with the NFT, he could only share…
Friday, January 18, 2013
During Thursday night's negotiation session, the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers were able to compromise on language about the "equal voice" issue.
Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb has consistently assured the community that the board will not agree to a new contract that includes "equal voice" or "past practice." However, during Thursday night's negotiation session, the board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers came to a compromise on equal voice. During the first negotiation session of 2013, most of the time was spent working to "refine a list compiled by the Federation of 69 items that are either unresolved or required clarification," as stated in a press release. During the face-to-face discussions, both sides agreed that more than a third of the items on the list could be considered resolved based on developments at the previous meeting on December 18. Through the …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
The Neshaminy School Board and district administration will hold a town hall teleconference Wednesday.
Before the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers reconvene at the bargaining table this week, the school board and Neshaminy administration will hold a town hall teleconference Wednesday night. District residents will receive a call around 6:30 p.m. asking if they wish to join the teleconference. Residents can also listen to the teleconference online here: http://cast.teletownhall.us/web_client/?id=NeshaminySchools. Those listening online will not be able to submit questions. The purpose of the teleconference, according former school board member William O'Connor, will be to address questions surrounding the status of contract negotiations with the NFT. The next negotiation session is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 17.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb said that the teachers union made a "terrible mistake" by not voting on the board's latest contract offer.
In their Wednesday night meeting, members of the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers did not vote to accept the Neshaminy School Board's latest contract offer. This action, school board President Ritchie Webb said, the NFT "may have made a terrible mistake in judgement." "While trying to hold onto the past, they are gambling with their future," he stated. According to a NFT press release issued Wednesday night, union members accepted the negotiation team's recommendation to not take action on the school board's offer, "with an overwhelmingly majority of those at the meeting rejecting a motion calling for a formal vote on the school district’s offer." Accepting the school board's "final offer" would eliminate several contract provisions "that…
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers did not vote on the school board's "final offer" Tuesday night, but union members want to continue negotiating with the board on remaining issues.
Nearly 400 members of the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers met Wednesday night where leaders shared with them the details of the Neshaminy School Board's "final offer." During that meeting, NFT members accepted the negotiation team's recommendation to not take action on the school board's offer, "with an overwhelmingly majority of those at the meeting rejecting a motion calling for a formal vote on the school district’s offer," as stated in a union press release. The school board's offer, which is based on the Council Rock's contract, would eliminate several contract provisions "that are key to educational quality in the Neshaminy School District." Some of those provisions include equal say and past practice -- two items that school board …
Friday, December 28, 2012
In a letter to the editor, Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb is urging NFT President Louise Boyd to allow union members to vote on the board's "final offer."
During the last negotiation session between the Neshaminy School Board and Neshaminy Federation of Teachers, the mediator told the board's negotiation team that the union would be bringing the board's "final offer" before the rank and file teachers for a vote. However, NFT President Louise Boyd said later that the union "never said anything to that effect" and that no vote was planned. She stated that the union leaders would review the offer, which is based on the Council Rock contract, and share and discuss it with NFT members. Now, school board President Ritchie Webb is urging the NFT to reconsider letting its member vote on the offer in the following letter to the editor: "She is denying them an opportunity to vote on a contract that …
Friday, December 21, 2012
NFT President Louise Boyd said that the union does not plan to put the school board's "final offer" up for a vote with its members.
Following the last negotiation session, Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb said in a statement that a state mediator told the school board negotiation team that the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers would be bringing the final offer before the rank and file teachers for a vote. However, NFT President Louise Boyd said the union "never said anything to that effect." "What we did say at the last negotiating session was that we will review the board's offer and we will share and discuss it with our members -- we never said anything about a vote and we have no idea why Webb would say such a thing," Boyd stated. In a message to members and a letter sent today to community partners, NFT leaders announced plans for a Jan. 2 membership …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The NFT leadership will bring the Neshaminy School Board's "final offer" before the rank and file teachers for a vote.
During what the Neshaminy School Board called "perhaps the most productive negotiation session ever," the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers informed them that the board's "final offer" will be brought before the rank and file teachers for a vote. According to school board President Ritchie Webb, this final offer is based on the Council Rock School District contract. If the union members approve this offer, the school board will release the details of its proposal to the public for review and comment and will then vote on the proposal at a public meeting. However, if the offer is not approved by NFT membership, the board will withdraw the proposal. "The fate of these negotiations now rests solely with the NFT. The decision to end this …
Monday, December 10, 2012
Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb discusses
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Monday, December 10, 2012
Editor's note: The following letter was submitted to Patch by Neshaminy School Board President Ritchie Webb. Neshaminy residents are already aware of the "equal say" doctrine within our teacher’s contract and how that practice is used to protect the status quo, often to the detriment of our students and district. However, there is another aspect to the contract that is often overlooked by the public even though it every bit as powerful, if not more so, than equal say. The other contractual issue I am referring to is past practice, which in combination with equal say is what gives the NFT de facto veto power over administration. “Section 11-1: Except as this Agreement shall otherwise provide, all terms and conditions of employment …
former teacher
1:52 pm on Thursday, February 7, 2013
"..the School Board suddenly announced its intention to cease any further bargaining regarding the unresolved issues,..." There is nothing sudden about it. And 'bargaining' ceased in late December when some ambigous language was cleared up by the board. There is nothing left to discuss. The community has presented its final offer. I understand the NFT doesn't like it and wants to 'negotiate' some… more ›