Moon Teachers Union Pursuing Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against District

Steve Palumbo, president of the Moon Area Education Association, said he has "little faith" that negotiations with the will result in a contract for district teachers. 

That's why the teachers union announced today that it will pursue unfair labor practice charges against the district through the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. 

Because the school board did not formally vote on an arbitrator's contract proposal in January, it now is in violation of state labor practices, Palumbo said in a statement this afternoon. By not voting in the meeting, he said, "the law is clear that they have to accept the award." 

“The law states that the contract is nonbinding unless both sides accept it or accept it by failing to take action," Palumbo said in the statement. "The school board never voted on the contract. We know that because we were at the meetings and saw the agendas. Therefore, according to the law, the district accepted the agreement. Our patience has run out.”

In December, the union and district took part in two nonbinding arbitration hearings in an effort to resolve the year-long contract dispute between the parties. Teachers voted to approve the arbitrator's contract proposal. The board, however,

District solicitor Jack Cambest said that the board discussed the arbitrator's contract in an executive session before its . He said the district was made aware last week that the union would be filing a grievance against the district. 

"We believed we've complied completely," Cambest said. "The Sunshine Act does not require us to discuss personnel issues in public meetings."

Nearly 300 teachers, counselors and school nurses are working under terms of a contract that expired in June. The district and union have clashed over such issues as length of the workday and employee health care contributions. 

Last week, both sides met for a bargaining session, marking the first negotiations since the board rejected the arbitrator's contract proposal. 

Palumbo went on to criticize the district's $76 million renovation of its high school as well as the hiring of its new Assistant Superintendent , saying Zurchin "makes $13,000 more than the average starting assistant superintendent salary."

“The District wasted tens of millions of dollars on building a new school and is spending a fortune in cost overruns,” continued Palumbo. “Now the District is spending more on legal bills to delay a contract settlement." 

Cambest said the district is open to further negotiations with the union. 

"We're ready to negotiate," Cambest said. "It's the teachers who are not ready to do so at this time." 

Check back with Patch for more information and developments. And read a PDF of the union's statement above.