District, teachers huddle Monday
In yet another attempt to resolve the ongoing contract dispute between the Peters Township School District and its teachers’ union, top officials from both sides will meet at noon Monday.
“Maybe lightning will strike,” said Paul Homer, the spokesman and staff representative for the Peters Township Federation of Teachers Local 3421, which represents 285 district teachers.
Last week, Timothy Tietze, a Chester County attorney who is serving as neutral arbitrator in the current contract negotiations, agreed to let Kris Bergman, the local president, and Mark Seckar, the local vice president, meet with Jeannine French, district superintendent, and Jennifer Murphy, assistant superintendent, to try and come up with a contract that will appeal to both sides, Homer said.
District teachers have been working without a contract since Aug. 31, the first day of school in Peters.
If Monday’s meeting is not successful, Tietze will make a ruling in the arbitration, said Homer, who is a member of the arbitration panel.
Tietze and Gretchen Love, the district’s solicitor, are the other two members.
If Tietze makes a ruling, it will be voted on by both the district and the teachers. Outstanding issues between the two sides are salaries and health care costs.
“Dr. French and Dr. Murphy meet regularly with the union leadership regarding matters of the district,” said Shelly Belcher, a district spokeswoman.
“The primary matter right now is reaching an agreement and both sides want that to happen. Any progress that is made would be brought back to the negotiation teams for consideration.”
Teachers went on strike for three weeks at the end of October and returned to work the day after Thanksgiving.
Because the district is required by the state to hold 180 days of instruction by June 30, the strike forced the district to push the last day of school back for its 4,000-plus students to June 23.
Seniors are still scheduled to graduate June 10.