Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The Neshaminy School Board and the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers have both released statements late Tuesday afternoon stating that a “tentative agreement” in the five-year-long contract impasse has been reached.
School Board President Richie Webb told LevittownNow.com that he began talking with NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt on Friday and an agreement was hammered out by Tuesday afternoon.
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Details of the agreement were not immediately released, as Webb said he wanted board members and union members have a chance to read over the proposed contract in full.
The proposed contract will be voted on by the NFT members on next Monday, June 3. The board will vote following public comment during a special meeting on Thursday, June 13.
The offer from the school board was based on the deal teachers in the Council Rock School District signed last spring. The deal would run until June 2015.
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In an exclusive April interview with LevittownNow.com, NFT President Louise Boyd said “all financial issues have been resolved.” She added that only issues over non-financial contract matters remained.
Statement from the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers:
Leaders of the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers and the Neshaminy School Board announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract for members of the certified staff in the Neshaminy Public Schools.
The agreement – which comes after nearly five years of difficult negotiations – must be ratified by a majority of union members and the school board. Union and district leadership deferred discussion of specific terms of the agreement until members of the NFT could be briefed. If ratified, the agreement will replace the previous contract, which expired at the end of June 2008.
“It has been a long and challenging process that brought us to this point,” said NFT President Louise Boyd. “The tentative agreement we are announcing today addresses some professional issues that are important to teachers and their students.”
She credited NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt and School Board President Ritchie Webb for working vigorously over the Memorial Day weekend to resolve some final questions.
“The tentative agreement we have worked out secures what both sides needed to move ahead to a new contract,” Webb said.
Schmidt agreed, “This has been a tough process, but we believe the agreement will be a new beginning in our relationship. It is time for our community to stop looking backward and focus on the future of our schools and our students.”
Webb and NFT leaders also praised the involvement of the state mediator, Bill Gross, who had guided formal bargaining sessions over the last year.
NFT President Boyd said a ratification vote on the agreement will be taken at a membership meeting scheduled for Monday, June 3. Members will receive information detailing the terms of the tentative agreement.
School Board President Webb said he expects the tentative agreement will be on the agenda for a special Board meeting to be held within 10 days.
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Statement from School Board President Richie Webb:
I am very pleased to report that there is a tentative settlement in the 5 year contract impasse with the Neshaminy Federation of Teachers (NFT).
The deal between the two parties is essentially the same proposal that has been on the table since December 2012 with the addition of some contract language changes.
The recent board vote to remove teacher raises for the 2012/2013 school year from our offer is temporarily suspended since the NFT notified us prior to May 31st of their intention to vote on our proposal.
Union officials will be bringing the proposal to their membership for a vote in the coming days. After the NFT has held its vote and assuming it passes, the School Board will release the proposal to the public so that they have ample opportunity to review the details.
A special public meeting is being scheduled tentatively for June 13th, at which time the Board will field questions and comments from residents prior to a vote on ratification of the new collective bargaining agreement.
While the proposal is awaiting formal approval from both parties, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation to union officials for working with us around the clock over the holiday weekend to bring a possible end to this impasse.
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