The Bristol Township School Board deadlocked during a special Wednesday night vote on whether to accept a fact-finder’s report that could provide the framework to a new contract with the members of the Bristol Township Education Association (BTEA).
The board voted 4-4, according to Board President Angela Nober. Jim Baker, Helen Cini, Nober and Gallus Obert voted against accepting the report, and Shane Bowen, Amanda Geist, Stacy Gerlach and Constance Moore voted to accept the report. Board member Jerry Bachman was unable to attend the special meeting.
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According to an account from audience member Tom Barton, about 50 BTEA members were in attendance for the meeting.
Neither the board or teachers let on about the specifics of the fact-finder’s report, which was recently approved by the teachers’ union.
The report was prepared by independent attorney John Skonier and submitted to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. The report, according to Nober, is expected to be released publicly on Friday.
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The board and BTEA are all expected to take another vote on the fact-finder’s report.
Under Pennsylvania Act 88, appointing a fact-finder is option for both the district and union when contract negotiations are at an impasses. The state-appointed fact-finder looks at contract proposals and makes recommendations based on them.
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The way Act 88 works, teachers would not be able to strike during the period of time a fact-finder is reviewing contract offers. If both sides accept the fact-finder report, it becomes binding. If rejected, the report could be used to put together a contract while negotiations continue.
The district’s deal with the BTEA expired in summer 2014 and negotiations hit a wall earlier this year.
