Revere Teachers Drop Lawsuit

The Revere Education Association has dropped its lawsuit against the district.

The teachers’ union, which filed suit on Aug. 30, had sought to stop the district from imposing a contract extension that had been agreed to before the May levy was approved by voters. The union agreed to rescind the agreement, which included a three-year freeze in pay.

The Ohio Education Association notified the district late Thursday that it was dropping its suit on the eve of a hearing scheduled for Friday, Superintendent Randy Boroff said.

“They dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice,” Boroff said.

“I know that they had filed an injunction and that the judge ruled against them prior to the setting of the date of the hearing. I presume that they wanted their back pay to begin immediately.”    

In July, union President Paul Fisher said, “In March the board proposed an agreement to extend our contract and the REA, the union, agreed to that contract. The board went to make that official at a board meeting and found out from their lawyer that they were unable to certify it because they didn’t have the funds, enough funds to certify it for the full three-year extension that was proposed. So they were unable to certify it at that time.”

The board in July voted to impose the contract as is, citing the Ohio Revised Code.

“They’re claiming that since they didn’t act on it, there’s a part of the Ohio Revised Code that if there’s an agreement and the school board does not either accept or reject it within 30 days it becomes implemented,” Fisher said.  

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Paul Gallagher ruled that the union couldn’t prove that it would be harmed if members had to wait for raises.

Since the case was dismissed without prejudice, it could be filed again.

Boroff said he believes that the issue has been settled.