August Negotiation Session Scheduled

A new date has been scheduled for another negotiation sesson between representatives from the Neshaminy School Board's negotiation team and leadership for the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers [NFT].

The Neshaminy School Board announced Thursday, July 28 that the next negotiation session with the NFT will occur on Thursday, August 11 at 6 p.m.

According to the board's announcement, Neshaminy solicitor Chuck Sweet said in an e-mail to the State Mediator John Cairns that “in order for meaningful negotiations to occur, which both parties sincerely want, the board and the community can only anticipate a meaningful response from the NFT to the comprehensive board counterproposal of July 18, 2011. There will have been ample time for such a response to be developed.” 

The three-year contract proposal the was highlighted by not including retroactive pay for the past three years the teachers have been without a contract, a 1 to 3 percent annual pay raise over the three years of the contract, a choice of three health care plans that would have less of a financial strain on the district, and a 20 percent contribution from the teachers toward their health care. It also required that the work day go from seven hours to eight hours a day as well as increasing the 188.5-day work year by two days.

The board's negotiation team and the NFT were scheduled to meet for negotiation on July 18 following the press conference, however the meeting only lasted a few minutes.

"The Neshaminy School District's counterproposal is an insult to every certified staff member in this District," NFT President Louise Boyd said July 18. 

"This session was another demonstration of the Board’s plan to avoid, at all costs, good faith negotiations," she continued.

At the press conference, the board members all agreed that they goal was to not to punish teachers, but help keep money going into the education of the the district’s students.