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Northwest Area Teachers Hit the Picket Line

Northwest Area Teachers Hit the Picket Line - Monday, November 17, 2008 at 5:35PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Monday, Nov 17, 2008 @ 05:35pm EST
SHICKSHINNY, LUZERNE COUNTY- Classrooms are empty and teachers are picketing at the Northwest Area School District in Luzerne County this morning. The teachers want a new contract with the district. They say they plan to picket until that happens.

From what both sides said to us this morning, there's a lot of work to be done. The teachers say they need more affordable healthcare and better salary. The district says they already have that. Now both sides are at a stalemate.

Dozens of teachers picket outside Northwest Area High School. The signs say it all, they're on strike. The teachers union says talks with the district stalled. PSEA representative Matt Gruenloh said, "They don't want to move off their positions. We have answered all their concerns. We've gone as far as offering health care premium shares, they change their concerns."

These teachers are asking for better health care premiums, and better salary. They say paying five percent of their health care premium with no cap needs to change. Parents staying home with their children Monday have mixed opinions. Jackie Scott said, "In a way I can understand where they're coming from but in another way, we always paid for our insurance."

But the district says health care rates and teachers salaries are competitive and fair for this area. The district's chief negotiator says the teachers union hasn't asked for a date to negotiate further.

Contract negotiations have been going on since 2005. According to the union, that's the last time these teachers had a contract. But now, more than 1,400 students are stuck in the middle, like 8th grader Leonard Burachzewski. "I personally think about the idea of them striking is not even good because they're already a high paid school I don't think they need to strike for any reason," he said.

But the teachers are striking, and the district says they need to stop before negotiations can start. The district says it will check with state as to how long teachers can legally stay on strike.

 


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