Contract Talks Stall For Manchester Teachers, School Board

Progress toward a new contract between the Manchester Township School District and its teaching staff remains stalled, after mediation sessions have been cancelled because of issues unrelated to the district, according to a representative with the teacher’s union.

Dan Staples, president of the Manchester Township Education Association, said personal issues that have arisen for the mediator assigned to the negotiations led to a rescheduling of a September mediation date, and then the canceling of the rescheduled meeting.

“We currently have no new date set,” Staples said. “It’s no one’s fault.”

But the lack of a new contract ”is having an effect on morale in a big way,” Staples said.

The contract between the MTEA and the district expired June 30, the first time in 20 years that the district has not had a new contract in place by the time the previous one expired, Staples has said.

At the school board meeting on Sept. 16, Staples -- joined by several other MTEA members who wore red shirts to express solidarity and frustration -- read a statement, expressing frustration at the lack of progress made on a contract to that point.

“We attempted to begin negotiating back in December, but despite numerous attempts the board did not meet with us until May 10, to bargain a contract that was expiring June 30th,” Staples said. “There is no good reason for the hard-working professionals in this district to be forced into this unfortunate position.”

“My members are deeply concerned and disappointed that we’ve been working without a contract since July,” Staples said. “We want to put 100 percent of our attention on our students -- not on negotiations!”

“By stalling negotiations and not meeting with us until the spring you forced us into this position,” he said. “School employees now find themselves questioning if all of their hard work and dedication is going unnoticed. This board has a responsibility to us, to residents, and most importantly to the students to resolve this situation.”

Members of the board did not respond to Staples’ comments. District Superintendent of Schools David Trethaway said, however that the district does appreciate all the hard work its staff does.

“I think we showed that tonight,” he said, referring to presentations and acknowledgements at the start of the meeting of staff member accomplishments and those who are retiring from the district.