Palisades Strike Averted

From the Intelligencer.

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Teachers, board reach tentative deal

By AMANDA CREGAN, The Intelligencer

Palisades parents can breathe a sigh of relief.

The school district announced Wednesday that a tentative agreement has been reached between the teachers union and school board following negotiations Tuesday night.

Details of the new contract won't be released until both sides finalize the deal.

“Our ratification process usually takes about two weeks, and we will not discuss terms of the agreement until the process has been completed,” said Palisades teachers union Co-President Laurie Borger.

Parents and school administrators were bracing for a strike this week if teachers union representatives did not see contract talks significantly progress.

Last week, the 160-member teachers union authorized its leadership to call a strike, and Pennsylvania State Education Association representative Gary Smith said he was preparing for the worst.

“I think it's very likely,” Smith said late last week. “The board is just simply not being forthright with the association and the sides are very far apart. I can't see the board moving to anywhere near middle ground for a settlement.”

Teachers union and school board members would not discuss any details of the unexpected agreement.

In their old contract, salaries ranged from $40,000 to $93,505.

Teachers pay 11 percent of their health insurance premium and are responsible for prescription drug co-pays.

The benefits package also includes life insurance, liability insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability protection.

In the $36 million district budget for 2008-09, salary and benefits total nearly $24 million.

That contract expired June 30; talks began in January.

This fall, Palisades teachers have been working to rule, which means their workday ends at school dismissal and they do not participate in extra school activities.

It was also the first time the district has ever seen a strike authorization by teachers.

PSEA representative Smith could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

School board members declined to publicly mention the tentative agreement at their scheduled board meeting Wednesday night.