Schools

Moon School Board OKs Proposed Contract; Teachers to Vote Today

Approval of the agreement by the teachers will put an end to a lengthy contract dispute.

The on Monday night approved a tentative agreement with the district's teachers union, signaling a possible end to a , two-year-long contract .

The board approved the , 7-2, with board members Sandy McCurdy and Jeffrey Bussard casting votes against it. If union members approve the measure later today, the new contract will take effect July 1.

Board President Mark Scappe said he could not comment on the terms of the agreement.

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Nearly 300 members of the Moon Area Education Association will meet at 6 tonight to vote on the agreement. Union spokesman Butch Santicola also would not discuss the specific terms of the contract, including changes in wages or benefits.

Santicola said union members, many of whom filled the high school's cafeteria to watch the meeting live on TV, were presented with a copy of the agreement at 4 p.m. Monday for a 24-hour review period.

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"It's a testament to both sides that they were able to put their differences behind them," Santicola said. "This is a real plus for the community. Nobody should be attacking the board or the teachers. They got together and said, 'Hey, let's get this done.' "

Residents, including several candidates vying for positions on the board in November's municipal election, addressed the school board at the meeting, asking members to consider the lagging economy before passing the agreement.

Ron Steele, a nominee for the board who is running on the Citizens for Education ticket, said teachers' salaries should reflect economic conditions faced by people who work in the private sector.

"When I say teachers, I really mean the public sector," Steele said. "Teachers have been given wage increases [that are] above cost-of-living expenses."

Moon resident Carole Masri asked the board to forgo wage increases for the district's teachers.

"I hope our teachers feel that they can give us taxpayers a break," Masri said. "We're all feeling the burden here. You're making money off the taxpayers’ backs."

Teachers, counselors and school nurses in the district have been working under terms of a that expired in June 2010. District officials and union members have clashed over such issues as length of a teacher's workday and employee health care contributions.

Tensions between the two parties led to a 13-day teachers strike in November. After the strike, the two parties took part in nonbinding , but that process failed to secure a contract.

"You know how bitter that strike was," Santicola said. "It will really benefit Moon residents when this is done and completed."


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