C-M union votes to make strike possible
A Canon-McMillan teachers’ strike isn’t imminent, but it is possible.
The Canon-McMillan teachers union voted Wednesday night to authorize its bargaining team to “take whatever action they need” to motivate progress on its expired contract.
The contract expired Aug. 15. Canon-McMillan is one of seven Washington and Greene County districts negotiating expired contracts.
Joe Grosso, the union’s lead negotiator, said Thursday evening that the bargaining that started in January has been going slowly. He said the union would like to see a faster pace.
He said he thinks both sides are bargaining in good faith. The next negotiating meeting will be Sept. 10.
The vote doesn’t mean a strike is imminent, he said. However, it gives the bargaining team the authority to call for a strike, or take other steps, if efforts to obtain a fair contract fail. Grosso said the vote is showing confidence in the bargaining team, not asking for a strike.
“We don’t want to strike, we don’t intend to strike, but we need to make progress,” Grosso said.
Grosso said Wednesday’s meeting was not called specifically for contract negotiations. The union’s bylaws call for a meeting at the beginning of the school year.
During the meeting, an update of negotiations was given. Someone from the floor, not a member of the negotiating team, made the motion to authorize the negotiating team to take action if necessary, he said. The vote was unanimous, he said.
David Andrews, the attorney representing the district in the negotiations, said he was surprised by the union’s action, considering that there are two negotiating sessions scheduled in the next two weeks, that the state doesn’t have a budget yet and that the economy in Southwestern Pennsylvania is not doing well.
He said he thinks substantial progress had been made on several issues. Andrews said he thinks the two sides will reach agreement soon.
The talks at the negotiation table have been professional as they work through issues, he said. However, there have been a number of issues to work through, he said.
“It takes time to work through those issues,” Andrews said.
Neither side would say what the issues are.
Join the Observer-Reporter’s conversation about education at our blog at http://orbehindthedesk.blogspot.com.
The Canon-McMillan teachers union voted Wednesday night to authorize its bargaining team to “take whatever action they need” to motivate progress on its expired contract.
The contract expired Aug. 15. Canon-McMillan is one of seven Washington and Greene County districts negotiating expired contracts.
Joe Grosso, the union’s lead negotiator, said Thursday evening that the bargaining that started in January has been going slowly. He said the union would like to see a faster pace.
He said he thinks both sides are bargaining in good faith. The next negotiating meeting will be Sept. 10.
The vote doesn’t mean a strike is imminent, he said. However, it gives the bargaining team the authority to call for a strike, or take other steps, if efforts to obtain a fair contract fail. Grosso said the vote is showing confidence in the bargaining team, not asking for a strike.
“We don’t want to strike, we don’t intend to strike, but we need to make progress,” Grosso said.
Grosso said Wednesday’s meeting was not called specifically for contract negotiations. The union’s bylaws call for a meeting at the beginning of the school year.
During the meeting, an update of negotiations was given. Someone from the floor, not a member of the negotiating team, made the motion to authorize the negotiating team to take action if necessary, he said. The vote was unanimous, he said.
David Andrews, the attorney representing the district in the negotiations, said he was surprised by the union’s action, considering that there are two negotiating sessions scheduled in the next two weeks, that the state doesn’t have a budget yet and that the economy in Southwestern Pennsylvania is not doing well.
He said he thinks substantial progress had been made on several issues. Andrews said he thinks the two sides will reach agreement soon.
The talks at the negotiation table have been professional as they work through issues, he said. However, there have been a number of issues to work through, he said.
“It takes time to work through those issues,” Andrews said.
Neither side would say what the issues are.
Join the Observer-Reporter’s conversation about education at our blog at http://orbehindthedesk.blogspot.com.
Labels: Canon-Mac strike
posted by Dawn Keller at
11:17 AM
2 Comments:
Is there any update to a possible strike?
Nothing new that I heard of as of Monday.
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