Methacton Cancels Tuesday Classes As Strike Continues

EAGLEVILLE, PA — Negotiations are ongoing but classes were again canceled in the Methacton School District for Tuesday, officials confirmed.

It will be the second consecutive day that school has not been in session due to the strike by the teacher's union, as the faculty seek better wages on a new contract.

The teachers, represented by the Methacton Education Association, gathered in front of the district office on Monday afternoon to express their desire for a fair contract. They were joined by members of the community, local businesses, and representatives of labor organizations, such as the AFL-CIO.

New details regarding negotiations were published by the school district this week. The school district and the teachers had reportedly agreed on an average increase in salary of $10,800, or 17.12 percent. However, the district said that the deal fell apart because the union did not agree on medical premium payments. The proposed plan would have provided 13 percent premiums for 2017/18, and 17 percent for 2018 through 2020.

"Ask any citizen in our community what they are paying for healthcare and you will see that the MEA made a mistake by walking away from these talks," the district said in a statement.

The Education Association said that the increase in salary was not sufficient to cover the increased payments required through the premium raise.

"The School Board’s position of dramatically increasing the employee’s share of the healthcare premium while not adequately increasing salaries is unacceptable to the Association. MEA was willing to increase premium share by over 23% in 3 years but that was not sufficient to the District," the Association said.

Further notice on school closures will be given by 8 p.m. on the night before classes. The maximum duration of any strike in Pennsylvania, as determined by the Department of Education, is 15 school days.

Patch file photo