close

Peters arbitration process moving forward

2 min read
article image -

Both the Peters Township Federation of Teachers and the Peters Township School District have received a list of seven neutral arbitrators and will begin whittling down the list to one, the first step toward getting a new labor agreement for the 285 teachers who have been working without a contract since school began in August.

“The list is how the final panel member is determined,” Shelly Belcher, district spokeswoman explained. The list is provided to the two sides by the American Arbitration Association, a not-for-profit organization that provides services organizations that wish to resolve conflicts out of court.”They are given a master list and then each side takes turns striking someone from the list until they have a final candidate.”

Belcher could not say how long the panel selection process would take.

“We’ve received a list and we hope to pick a neutral arbitrator this week,” said Paul Homer, a staff representative of Local 3431.

The person who is selected will join Gretchen Love, the district’s attorney during the contract negotiations with the teachers, and Homer in an effort to reach an agreement acceptable to both sides.

Within 10 days of the selection of the arbitration panel, the arbitrators must schedule hearings to receive evidence on the final and best offers from both sides. A written decision must be issued within 20 days after the completion of the hearings. The entire process could take 60 days to complete and teachers are prohibited by law from striking during the arbitration process.

Because the arbitration is nonbinding, one or both of the sides can reject it, which opens the possibility of a second walkout by the teachers.

The teachers walked off the job at the end of October and returned three weeks later on Nov. 27, the day after Thanksgiving. The central issues between the two sides are salaries and health care costs. The average Peters Township teacher makes in excess of $70,000 a year.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today