Tentative Agreement
At 11:25PM, on September 2, 2007, after 12 ½ hours of bargaining, STEA’s negotiating team and the Springfield Township School District Board of School Directors tentatively agreed to accept a mediator’s proposal.
All teachers should report to school on Tuesday, September 4, 2007.
We will notify the members of the time and place of the ratification meeting.
Negotiation Update for August 28 Meeting
The Springfield Township Educational Association met with the School Board Representatives on Tuesday, August 28, 2007. To date, no elected board members have attended any bargaining session. During the meeting, the Association once again made significant movement, as recognized by the district representative. However, for the second meeting in a row, the Board representatives presented no new offers or responses to our proposal. While we are disappointed that the Board did not bring anything new to the table, we look forward to our next meeting on Sunday, September 2. We will continue to bargain in good faith and do our best to come to an agreement. We remain cautiously optimistic that we will reach an agreement prior to the start of the school year.
STEA's Position
Fact-Finding- Fact-Finding is a move to avoid serious and continued negotiations.
- STEA is committed to negotiating as long as it takes to reach a settlement without a strike.
- STEA discussed Fact-Finding with the Board's negotiator in the spring, and he said it was not appropriate. Now, the Board is attempting to use Fact-Finding as a way to stall the negotiation process.
- STEA has made significant movement in its proposals in an attempt to reach a settlement. The Board continues to claim that the parties are "too far apart."
- The Board is inflating the STEA proposal and projecting costs to the public that they acknowledge are inaccurate.
- The STEA proposal on health care is in line with what the majority of other school districts provide.
- STEA is committed to negotiating a fair settlement to avoid a strike.
- On August 22, the Board said it had no further room to compromise and requested Fact-Finding. After this, STEA gave notice to the District of its intent to strike on September 4 if a settlement cannot be reached.
- Springfield is the only school district in Bucks and Montgomery Counties without a teacher's contract. Settlements were reached earlier this year in Abington, Colonial, Council Rock, and Wissahickon.
Welcome to STEA
"Our organization is all about people. It's about those who serve on curriculum commitees or bargain our contracts. It's about members who accept leadership roles and it's about the dedicated staff we hire to help us succeed.
It takes all of us to promote our economic security, to protect our rights as school employees, to provide professional advice and assitance, to share pertinent and timely information, to make our schools the best that they can be, and to promote public support for our schools."
James R. WeaverPSEA President
STEA's/PSEA's Mission
To advance quality public education for all students while fostering the dignity and worth of members through collective action.