Mars Area teachers reach agreement with district, avoid strike scheduled for Friday
This tentative settlement avoids the strike scheduled for Friday.
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Updated: 10:18 PM EST Feb 17, 2021
Mars Area teachers reach agreement with district, avoid strike scheduled for Friday
This tentative settlement avoids the strike scheduled for Friday.
Share
Updated: 10:18 PM EST Feb 17, 2021
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NO RESPONSE YET FROM THE OWNERS. JANELLE: BREAKING RIGHT NOW. A SWAT SITUATION IN PITTSBURGH’ -- TEACHERS WILL STRIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THAT WORKDA
TRACKING THE COVID-19 VACCINE
This tentative settlement avoids the strike scheduled for Friday.
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Updated: 10:18 PM EST Feb 17, 2021
UPDATE: The Mars Area School Board and Mars Area Education Association announced Wednesday evening that they have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement. A news release from the Pennsylvania State Education Association said both parties will work to finalize the contract language for ratification votes within the next couple of weeks.This tentative settlement avoids the strike scheduled for Friday.PREVIOUS STORY (Feb. 3): The Mars Area Education Association notified the current superintendent Wednesday evening that if a new contract is not reached by Feb. 19, the teachers will strike at the beginning of that workday. Read the full news release from PSEA Region Field Director Brooke Witt below: "This evening, the Mars Area Education Association provided Dr. Mark Gross, the current Superintendent, with official notification that if a new contract is not reached by February 19, 2021, the teachers will strike at the beginning of that workday. The current contract expired on June 30th, 2020."The teachers authorized their negotiating Team to issue a strike notice at a general membership meeting held on November 9, 2020. The Negotiating Team elected to continue to engage in the negotiating process, which began in Early Bird negotiations in September 2019. When the Early Bird process failed to produce an agreement, the teachers continued to engage in good faith negotiations over the last year to reach a successor agreement without necessitating a work stoppage. Regardless of those efforts, the labor dispute is ongoing and there is no resolution in sight."Despite the teachers expressly requesting to continue to negotiate this evening, the District ended the session after less than three hours. In an effort to fairly settle the contract and avoid the strike, the Teachers are available to negotiate as often as the District is willing and available. The Teachers are hopeful that the District will come to the table to negotiate and reach afair agreement that benefits all stakeholders – students, teachers, and the community."