Catherwood LibraryILR School

Teachers in Pennsylvania’s Methacton School District are upset after the school board filed for a fact-finding request with the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board, which they say will help settle a contract with the Methacton Education Association. If the request is approved, the labor board will lead a 40- day investigation of each side’s proposals before making recommendations for a contract between the teachers’ union and the school board, and both sides would have only 10 days after the investigation on November 29th to accept or reject the labor board’s recommendations. The school board says that most of the major issues including salary and work schedules have been settled, disputes over health care coverage and premium sharing have led to an impasse in contract negotiations. The teachers feel disrespected after they were presented with a contract that includes some of the nation’s highest premium- expenses and lowest salaries. The teachers’ union has until September 19th to go on strike before the fact-finding investigation begins and they are barred from striking.