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Pocono News Section
Students Back to Class After CTC Strike
Students Back to Class After CTC Strike - Monday, November 2, 2009 at 4:40PM EST
Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Monday, Nov 2, 2009 @ 04:40pm EST
SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- Hundreds of students were back in class Monday at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County. A short teachers strike ended over the weekend with a tentative agreement.
Students arrive at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County Monday morning, after days of wondering how soon they'd get back to class.
Junior Cassie Cooley said, "Well, we missed out on a lot of important things. The shop I'm in, there's not much you can do away from here. I mean, in child care, you've got to be with the kids if you're going to learn."
Culinary Arts Freshman Lexie Manns/ said, "I've missed out on learning, baking and cutting and everything else."
The 36 teachers who work here went on strike last week -- saying they wanted a new contract with a pay increase. Three days of picketing plus two days of negotiating, led to a tentative agreement.
AFT Local #3876 President Yolanda Martinelli said, "We're happy to be back. I'm looking forward to seeing my students. I missed them. I felt like a fish out of water."
Details of the tentative agreement are not being released right now. But teachers we spoke with say they felt deserved pay comparable to other teachers in the area.
"It's fair and reasonable. They finally respected the trades. This is a victory for the working class," added Martinelli.
She is both president of the teachers' union, and a cosmetology teacher here. She says the teachers are pleased with the potential deal.
"I want to thank the nine sending districts administrators for recognizing the job that we do here and the students we prepare for the future and for the workforce," she added.
"That's the thing. They deserve it. They work hard for what they do," said Cassie Cooley.
Martinelli says the CTC teachers will vote on the deal this week before sending it on to each of the nine sending districts to vote on
CTC Administrative Director Vince Nallo tells Eyewitness News he hopes the contract will become final at a November 19th meeting. | | |
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