NFT Releases Statement on Contract Offer Vote

After last night’s vote to reject the Neshaminy School District’s latest contract proposal, the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers released a statement.

The school board previously set May 22 at the deadline for the NFT to vote on the current contract offer or lose this year’s pay raise and push negotiations off. School Board President Richie Webb said that deadline still stands.

Here is the statement from the NFT:

At a meeting attended by more than 75 percent of the NFT’s membership tonight, NFT members voted by secret ballot to decline the latest contract offer made by the Neshaminy School Board. The vote followed a motion by NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt to put the offer to a vote. In that motion, Schmidt recommended that the vote be conducted by secret ballot.

The Board’s most recent contract proposals include the following demands:

• A refusal to preserve class size limits in the existing contract.

• The elimination of past practice language that is a traditional aspect of all union contracts. This language would allow teachers and school staff to negotiate changes in school and district operations with management as such changes arise.

• Invalidating and excluding from the contract the memoranda of understanding on district policies and practices that have been developed over the years between teachers and the district.

AFT Pennsylvania President Ted Kirsch spoke at the meeting to express support to Neshaminy teachers from the state and national AFT. Kirsch said that Neshaminy teachers are fighting for the professional values that educators everywhere hold dear.

“Our members realize that this is not about the financial issues, most of which have been resolved,” said NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt after the meeting. “What the Board’s last proposals make clear is that this Board is bound and determined to take away teacher rights and silence teacher voice by breaking our union. Our members have offered huge financial sacrifices to try to reach a contract, but one thing we can’t do is give up the professional rights that allow us to speak up for the educational needs of our students. The Board has threatened to withdraw its salary offer if we don’t give up those rights, but that’s not a trade-off our members were willing to make.”

Board President Ritchie Webb had repeatedly urged Neshaminy teachers to vote on the district’s latest contract offer. “This vote was a vote for our unity and our values,” said NFT President Louise Boyd. “Even at the risk of continuing a five-year salary freeze, teachers can’t betray our professional standards. Our members have spoken We hope this vote will demonstrate to everyone that the way to a contract is clear. Let’s get back to the table and hammer this out.”