Wissahickon School Board Votes Against WEA Fact-Finding Report

At a special meeting of the Wissahickon School Board on Wednesday, the Board reconsidered the fact finder's report between the Wissahickon School District and Wissahickon Education Alliance–Support.

The Board rejected the report at the May 29 meeting, however WEA accepted the report. The fact-finding report, which was requested by WEA in April, must be accepted or rejected as a whole.

The fact finder focused on 15 issues, but school board solicitor Scott Wolpert said there are still more issues subject to negotiation.

At the special meeting, Wolpert focused on wages, elimination of part-time benefits and the special education one-on-one aides.

For wages for the 267 WEA-support members, the district proposed a salary freeze in the first year of the contract, and then a 1.1 percent increase in the second year and in year three, increases would equal the corresponding Act 1 index, but subject to a minimum of 1 percent and a maximum of 2 percent. WEA proposed a 4 percent increase for all three years.

The fact finder recommended a 2.5 percent increase in each year of the three-year contract.

Wolpert told the board and community that the professional staff has taken a pay freeze during the first year of their contract and superintendent Judith Clark has take a pay freeze.

The district also proposed eliminating benefits, including medical, dental, vacation, tuition reimbursement and more for the 38 bargaining unit members that work six hours a day or less. The union wishes to retain all existing levels of benefits for part-time employees.

Wolpert said the district currently spends $3,127,171 on benefits for part time support staff.

Joann Groark, WEA Co-President, said WEA is still accepting the fact-finding report due to the various compromises in the report. Groark said WEA-support voted 98 percent in favor of the fact-finding report.

“The board can easily afford the compromise,” she said.

Groark called the fact-finding a middle ground.

Frank Deruosi, WEA Co-Vice President, said the report was “fair” and “unbiased.”

However, the board voted unanimously to reject fact-finding report.

Wolpert said with the rejection vote, the board will continue to negotiate with the union.

The WEA-support contract expires June 30.