Palmyra Area School District teachers reject contract proposal
PALMYRAPalmyra Area School District teachers overwhelmingly rejected a two-year contract proposal Thursday that would have frozen salaries for one year and cut tuition reimbursement, officials said.
Teachers offered to accept a pay freeze for 2011-12, said Nate Greenawalt, union negotiator, but felt the district overstepped and went little too far than what was necessary in proposed give-backs.
We are not opposed to reducing that and helping the district to save some costs, but the teachers felt the districts proposal and tentative agreement reached went farther than they could accept, he said, particularly in the area of tuition reimbursement.
I understand the teachers and how they feel, and I respect them. It is a difficult situation were in. Im confident we will be able to come to an agreement, and hopefully theyll understand why we taking the approach were taking, said George Downey, Palmyra school board president.
Both sides have agreed not to discuss specifics of proposals during negotiations, Greenawalt said.
The other Lebanon County school districts pay for 12 credits per teacher per year at the average Penn State rate, Greenawalt said. Teachers are required by state law to earn 24 graduate credits in six years.
Palmyras 250 teachers will continue to work under the current contract, which expires Wednesday, Greenawalt said. We are very anxious to get back to the bargaining table and reach an agreement, he said.
Administrators in the district have agreed to give back their raises for 2012-13, Downey said.
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