The members of the union that represent teachers in the Neshaminy School District voted Monday night to approve the contract offered to them in a compromise that has taken several 
years to achieve.
The Neshaminy Federation of Teachers (NFT) approved the contract in what the union called an “overwhelming” majority – 487 in favor, 21 against. The contract is next up to approval next week by the school board.
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“Clearly, NFT members agreed with our bargaining team that the agreement achieved an acceptable balance of educational values, financial considerations and professional standards,” NFT President Louise Boyd said in a statement.
Both school board President Richie Webb and leaders in the NFT have failed to disclose specifics on the contract so far. However, it has previously been stated that it is based on the deal Council Rock School District teachers signed last spring.
The NFT stated in a release that over 80 percent of their membership met at Carl Sandburg Middle School in Levittown Monday night to vote on the contract.
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As contract talks have inched closer settlement over past several months, many issues have kept both sides from finding an agreement. The current offer came together over Memorial Day weekend as Webb and NFT Vice President Anne Schmidt worked together.
“While reaching agreement required some tough tradeoffs, we were able to preserve key principles that are important to us as professional educators and to our students—issues that directly affect the overall quality of education in Neshaminy schools,” Boyd said Monday.
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From Monday night’s NFT press release:
On the financial side, the agreement recognizes the value of NFT members’ work with salary adjustments that will help teachers catch up for the five years they have gone without a new contract—and without any raises. However, balancing those pay gains are significant new costs to teachers for the District’s health insurance plan.
“By insisting that the contract respect and include their voices in educational decisions affecting their students, Neshaminy teachers took a difficult but principled stand for professionalism in education,” Ted Kirsch, president of AFT Pennsylvania, said in a statement. “Despite persistent attempts to claim the stalemate stemmed from disagreement over finances and health care, this was always—at its very core—a matter of respecting the professional input of teachers, who are on the frontline of education.”
Last week, Schmidt said the NFT was going to recommend members to vote to ratify the contract.
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The contract issue has plagued the district since 2008 and has lead to two strikes.
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.
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“The board still must act, and we anticipate a favorable vote. Once that happens, everyone—teachers, administrators, community members—will be able get back to focusing on the most important thing we do: educating Neshaminy students,” Boyd said Monday night.
The board will vote following public comment during a special meeting on Thursday, June 13.
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Related:
- School Board’s Webb, NFT’s Schmidt React to ‘Tentative’ Agreement
- ‘Tentative’ Contract Agreement Reached in Neshaminy
- NFT Releases Statement on Contract Offer Vote
- NFT Votes Down Contract Proposal, Board President Says
- NFT President: ‘We Agreed to All the Financial Concessions’
- Board President Dispels ‘Unsubstantiated Rumors’ of Neshaminy Deal
