McGuffey teachers approve contract

The McGuffey teachers union overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new contract Monday.
The union vote came less than a week after the union and school board reached a tentative agreement to avoid a strike for the second time this year. The tentative agreement addressed salary, health care, retirement incentive and length of contract.
Union spokesman Andrew MacBeth said McGuffey teachers are pleased that they can accept the agreement that both negotiating teams approved.
“We’re glad we voted to accept it, and we hope the board follows through and does the same,” he said.
Now, the union waits for a board decision.
The board is expected to vote on the contract Wednesday. MacBeth said specific details of the agreement won’t be released unless the school board ratifies it as well.
The two sides had been negotiating for 18 months before the tentative agreement was reached last week.
The union struck earlier this year and was prepared to strike again if an agreement couldn’t be reached.
As a part of the negotiating process, both sides agreed to bring in an independent fact-finder. The union voted for the fact-finder’s recommendations, while the board said those suggestions were unaffordable.
After the first strike, both sides began nonbinding arbitration. That arbitration panel again recommended the fact-finder’s report.
The union again supported it, saying it was fair. The board again rejected it, saying it was too costly.
That led to the late-night negotiating session that ran from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, when the tentative agreement was reached.

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